Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum

Ak-Sar-Ben, or Aksarben, was an indoor arena and horse racing complex in Omaha, Nebraska. Built to fund the civic and philanthropic activities of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, the thoroughbred race track was built in 1920 and the Coleseum (capacity 7,200) was built in 1929. The racetrack closed in 1995 and the arena in 2002; the facility was demolished in 2005, and is currently being redeveloped for a variety of uses, including dormitory housing for the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Ak-Sar-Ben is "Nebraska" spelled backwards. The Knights originally said they were turning Nebraska around, thus "Ak-Sar-Ben."

Coliseum
Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum was the premiere ice rink and concert arena in Omaha for more than 70 years. Popular acts ranging from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley to Nirvana all performed to sold-out crowds. It was also home to the Omaha Knights, a minor league hockey team from 1959-75. The Knights began operations in 1959 in the IHL, and later moved to the now-defunct CHL, with teams affiliated with the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and both the Calgary and Atlanta Flames. The arena hosted the USHL's Omaha Lancers for its final dozen years.