Charlotte Coliseum
Charlotte Coliseum was a multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was operated by the Charlotte Coliseum Authority, which also oversees the operation of Bojangles Coliseum (which was called Charlotte Coliseum prior to 1988), the Charlotte Convention Center, and Ovens Auditorium. It was best known as the home of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets from 1988 to 2002, and the Charlotte Bobcats (now the second incarnation of the Hornets) from 2004 to 2005.
The Hive | |
The Coliseum in 1988 | |
| Address | Hive Dr |
|---|---|
| Location | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Coordinates | 35°11′11″N 80°54′46″W |
| Owner | City of Charlotte |
| Operator | City of Charlotte |
| Capacity | Basketball: 24,042 Ice hockey: 21,684 Boxing: 23,041 Concerts: *End stage 180°: 16,695 *End stage 360°: 23,780 *Center stage: 24,041 *Theatre: 5,372 - 9,696 |
| Field size | 872,000 sq ft (81,000 m2) |
| Scoreboard | American Sign & Indicator, now Trans-Lux |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 1986 |
| Opened | August 11, 1988 |
| Closed | October 26, 2005 |
| Demolished | June 3, 2007 |
| Construction cost | US$52 million ($134 million in 2023 dollars) |
| Architect | Odell Associates |
| Tenants | |
| Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats (NBA) (1988–2002, 2004–2005) Charlotte 49ers (NCAA) (1988–1993) Charlotte Rage (AFL) (1992–1994, 1996) Charlotte Sting (WNBA) (1997–2005) Carolina Cobras (AFL) (2003–2004) | |
The Coliseum hosted 371 consecutive NBA sell-outs from December 1988 to November 1997, which includes seven playoff games. It hosted its final NBA basketball game on October 26, 2005, a preseason game between the Charlotte Bobcats and the Indiana Pacers.
The city of Charlotte sold the property and the building, along with a Maya Lin commission outside it, was demolished via implosion on June 3, 2007.
This was the second building to use the name "Charlotte Coliseum"; Bojangles Coliseum, located on Independence Boulevard, originally opened as the Coliseum in 1955 and is still in use.