| Hampton Coliseum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | 1000 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, Virginia, 23666 |
| Broke ground | May 24, 1968 |
| Built | 1968 – 1970 |
| Opened | 1970 |
| Owner | City of Hampton |
| Operator | City of Hampton |
| Construction cost | $8.5 to $9.0 million USD |
| General Contractor | McDevitt and Street Co. |
| Former names | Hampton Roads Coliseum |
| Tenants | Virginia Squires (American Basketball Association) (1970–76) Virginia Wings (AHL) (1971–75) Hampton Gulls (SHL,AHL) (1974–78) Hampton Aces (NEHL) (1978-81) |
| Capacity | 13,800 (concerts) 9,777 (basketball) |
Located in Hampton, Virginia, the Hampton Coliseum, commonly referred to as "the mothership" or "cosmic cupcake" due to its unique architecture, is a multi-use facility owned by the City of Hampton. It is used to host concerts, and is a regular stop on the World Wrestling Entertainment tour. Opening in 1970, then known as the Hampton Roads Coliseum, was the Hampton Roads metropolitan area's, and the state of Virginia's first large multi-purpose arena. The arena seats about 13,800 for festival-style concerts and 9,777 for basketball.
History[]
The coliseum building construction commenced on May 24, 1968 at an estimated cost of $8,500,000. The construction involved 30 contractors, approximately 17,000 cubic yards of concrete, 750 tons of steel and 256,000 watts of lighting.
Tenants[]
The Coliseum was home to the Virginia Wings and Hampton Gulls hockey teams in the American Hockey League, the Hampton Roads Gulls of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League, and the Hampton Aces of the North Eastern Hockey League.