Oncenter War Memorial Arena
125px | |
Former names | Onondaga County War Memorial |
---|---|
Location | 800 South State Street Syracuse, NY, 13202 United States |
Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
Owner | Onondaga County |
Operator | Onondaga County |
Capacity | 8,000 (floor events) 6,159 (hockey)[1] |
Surface | Multi-surface |
Construction | |
Broke ground | October 22, 1949[2] |
Opened | September 12, 1951[5] |
Renovated | 1994 |
Construction cost | $3,719,000[3] ($33.9 million in 2024 dollars[4]) |
Architect | Edgarton & Edgarton[2] |
Structural engineer | Ammann & Whitney[2] |
General contractor | W. E. O'Neil Construction Co.[2] |
Tenants | |
Syracuse Warriors (AHL) (1951–1954) Syracuse Nationals (NBA) (1951–1963) Syracuse Eagles (AHL) (1974–1975) Syracuse Blazers (EHL/NAHL) (1967–1977) Syracuse Firebirds (AHL) (1979–1980) Syracuse Smash (NLL) (1997–2000) Syracuse Soldiers (AIFL) (2006) Syracuse Raging Bullz (ABA) (2007) Syracuse Crunch (AHL) (1994–present) Syracuse Silver Knights (MISL/MASL) (2011–present) |
War Memorial at Oncenter (originally known as Onondaga County War Memorial) is a multi-purpose arena located in Syracuse, New York. It is part of the Oncenter Complex. Designed by Edgarton and Edgarton and built from 1949 through 1951, the structure is significant as an example of a World War I, World War II and Aroostook War commemorative[6] and as "an early and sophisticated example of single-span thin-shell concrete roof construction". It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Tenants
The War Memorial is home to the Syracuse Crunch ice hockey team and the Major Arena Soccer League team the Syracuse Silver Knights.
Previous teams to call the War Memorial home included the NBA's Syracuse Nationals, the NLL's Syracuse Smash and several now-defunct American Hockey League teams. The Nationals defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons in a deciding seventh game at home to win the 1954-1955 NBA Championship. The War Memorial also hosted the NBA All-Star Game in 1961 and the NCAA Frozen Four in 1967 and 1971.
The 1977 film Slap Shot included the War Memorial among the various arenas used as shooting locations for in-game action.[7]
Notable events
The Onondaga County War Memorial was home to the annual NYSPHSAA wrestling tournament in 1968, from 1970 to 1972, and then for 29-straight years, 1974-2003.[8] The championship event has since been hosted by various venues around the state.
Professional wrestling has also experienced its share of history at the War Memorial. Shortly after completion of filming of the World Championship Wrestling-produced film Ready to Rumble, actor David Arquette won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship title on April 26, 2000 in a taping of the company's weekly Thunder broadcast, which is often cited as being the first legitimate sign of the demise of WCW. It also hosted the first WWF In Your House pay-per-view in 1995. In April 1998 the Oncenter hosted WWF Monday Night Raw. The Oncenter is occasionally host to WWE house shows.
In 1937, the Syracuse Stars hoisted the first ever AHL Calder Cup. 76 years later, in 2013, the Syracuse Crunch held their first Calder Cup Finals games in their 19th year in Syracuse. The Crunch fell 4-2 to the Grand Rapids Griffins in the 6 game series.
In 2015, the War Memorial hosted various games of the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship from September 18th-26th
It is also a prominent concert venue in the region, which includes various KISS, Bruce Springsteen, The Grateful Dead and Aerosmith shows among numerous others over the years.
The Oncenter War Memorial Arena was the first professional hockey arena to install LED lighting in 2012, provided by Ephesus Lighting. [9]
On top of the arena's stage are the words, "In memory of our service veterans."
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 1634 to 1699: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 1700-1799: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 1800–present: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.and Accompanying 21 photos, exterior and interior, from construction through 1988'
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.nysphsaawrestling.com/history.html
- ↑ http://www.si.com/nhl/2015/07/01/NHL-AHL-hockey-arena-led-lighting-makes-ice-look-brighter
External links
Events and tenants | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by | Home of the Syracuse Nationals 1951–1963 |
Succeeded by Convention Hall & Philadelphia Arena |
Preceded by | Host of the NBA All-Star Game 1961 |
Succeeded by Kiel Auditorium |
Preceded by | Host of the Frozen Four 1967 |
Succeeded by Duluth Arena Duluth, Minnesota |
Preceded by | Host of the Frozen Four 1971 |
Succeeded by Boston Garden Boston, Massachusetts |
Script error: The function "top" does not exist.
Script error: The function "bottom" does not exist.
- Pages with broken file links
- Official website not in Wikidata
- 1951 establishments in New York
- Arena football venues
- Basketball venues in New York
- Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in New York
- College ice hockey venues in the United States
- Defunct National Basketball Association venues
- American football in Syracuse, New York
- Ice hockey in Syracuse, New York
- Indoor ice hockey venues in New York
- Indoor lacrosse venues in the United States
- Indoor soccer venues in the United States
- Soccer in Syracuse, New York
- Sports venues in Syracuse, New York
- Syracuse Crunch
- Syracuse Orange basketball venues