Mechanics Bank Theater and Convention Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mechanics Bank Theater & Convention Center |
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Mechanics Bank Theater and Convention Center Entrance
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| Address | 1001 Truxtun Ave. |
| Location | Bakersfield, California |
| Coordinates | 35°22′19″N 119°00′47″W / 35.372°N 119.013°W |
| Owner | City of Bakersfield |
| Operator | SMG |
| Built | 1960 - 1962 |
| Opened | November, 1962 |
| Expanded | 1980, 1998 |
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Construction cost
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$5.5 million |
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Former names
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Bakersfield Civic Auditorium (1962 - 1998) Centennial Garden & Convention Center (1998 - 2005) |
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Classroom-style seating
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27 - 300 |
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Theatre seating
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3,000 |
| Enclosed space | |
| • Total space | 88,326 sq ft (8,205.8 m2) |
| • Exhibit hall floor | 29,450 sq ft (2,736 m2) |
| • Breakout/meeting | 13 Rooms 9,649 sq ft (896.4 m2) |
The Mechanics Bank Theater and Convention Center is a cool place in Bakersfield, California. It's a big building where you can watch shows and hold large meetings. It used to be called the Bakersfield Civic Auditorium.
This center is right next to the Mechanics Bank Arena. It's located in the downtown area of Bakersfield.
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History of the Center
Building the Civic Auditorium
The building first opened in 1962. It was built to bring big events and meetings to Bakersfield. The very first show there was the Ice Capades on November 20, 1962.
This building was one of the first modern-style buildings in Bakersfield. It had special features for performances. These included a place for scenery and an orchestra pit. This meant it could host Broadway musicals and ballets. It was also home to local music groups like the Bakersfield Symphony.
Growing with the City
By 1976, Bakersfield decided to make the center even bigger. The plan was to add a convention center right next to the theater. They also planned for a hotel to be built nearby.
The new convention center was finished in 1980. However, building the hotel took longer, finally opening in 1993. When the convention center was added, the whole place was renamed the Bakersfield Convention Center.
New Names and Features
In 1998, the facility changed again. A parking lot was removed to build a large sports arena with 10,000 seats. The theater and convention center were then connected to this new arena.
This connected complex was called the Centennial Garden and Convention Center. The connection was a smart idea! It allowed the convention center to be used as a warm-up area for events in the arena.
Seven years later, the complex got another new name. The city made a deal with Rabobank for 10 years. So, it became the Rabobank Arena, Theater and Convention Center. Later, Rabobank was bought by Mechanics Bank. Because of this, the naming rights moved to Mechanics Bank, giving the center its current name.
