Alliant Energy Center facts for kids
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| Former names | Dane County Coliseum (1967–2000) |
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| Location | 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way Madison, Wisconsin 53713, U.S. |
| Public transit |  Metro Transit |
| Owner | Dane County |
| Operator | Dane County |
| Capacity | 10,231 |
| Opened | 1967 |
| Tenants | |
| Wisconsin Badgers (NCAA) (1967–1998) Madison Monsters (CoHL/UHL) (1995–1999) Madison Mad Dogs (PIFL/IFL) (1998–2000) Madison Kodiaks (UHL) (1999–2000) Wisconsin Wolfpack (CIFL) (2009) Madison Capitols (USHL) (2014–2017) |
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The Alliant Energy Center is a large group of buildings in Madison, Wisconsin. It sits on 164 acres (about 0.66 square kilometers) of green space. This center includes a huge Exhibition Hall, the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Willow Island, and other buildings.
More than a million people visit the Alliant Energy Center each year. They come for over 500 different events. These events range from local meetings to big sports games and concerts.
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Where is the Alliant Energy Center?
The Alliant Energy Center is located on the south side of Madison, Wisconsin. You can find it off John Nolen Drive and Rimrock Road.
A Look Back: History of the Center
In 1895, a group called the Agricultural Society and Dane County bought 250 acres (about 1 square kilometer) of land. This land was meant for the Dane County Fair. It was first called "Lakeside Park Farm."
The Dane County Fair stopped using the site in 1938 because of money problems. It didn't return until 1951. Even so, Dane County kept the land and paid off its loan in 1941.
To make the site better, roads, parking lots, and other important facilities were built between 1949 and 1951. In 1951, the Dane County Fair came back to the site, which is now the Alliant Energy Center. It has been there ever since!
Over the years, more buildings were added. The Arena was built in 1954 and is still standing today. The Youth Building, built in 1962, now serves as the main office for the Alliant Energy Center.
In 1967, the Veterans Memorial Coliseum was built. Many famous performers like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Jimi Hendrix played there. It also hosted events like the World Dairy Expo and the Ice Capades.
In 1974, a special committee was formed to help build and develop the center. They saw that many different events wanted to use the Coliseum. In 1978, the Forum was added, offering a large space for trade shows and banquets. This building was later replaced by the Exhibition Hall.
By 1992, over 16 million people had visited the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. This showed how popular the center had become.
The large 255,000 square foot (about 23,690 square meter) Exhibition Hall was built in 1995. It became the biggest open space for trade shows and conventions in Wisconsin.
In 2000, the center changed its name from Dane County Exposition Center to Alliant Energy Center. This happened because Alliant Energy Corporation bought the rights to use their name for the center for 20 years. The individual buildings, however, kept their original names.
Even though Alliant Energy has the naming rights, Dane County still owns and runs the center. The Alliant Energy Center operates like a business. It uses the money it earns from events to cover its costs, without needing money from the county's general funds. This way of working started in 1990.
In 2013, Dane County planned to build new multi-use pavilions. These new buildings, totaling 290,000 square feet (about 26,942 square meters), replaced nine old farm barns. Construction started in April 2014 and finished by September for the 2014 World Dairy Expo.
Veterans Memorial Coliseum: The Heart of the Center
The Veterans Memorial Coliseum, built in 1967, is a large arena with 10,231 seats. It's the main building at the Alliant Energy Center. It hosts concerts, family shows, sports events, and conventions. The building was fully updated in 2004–2005.
The Coliseum has a long history with hockey. It was home to the Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey team from 1967 to 1998. It was known as one of the biggest and loudest college hockey arenas in the country. Fans even nicknamed it "the Great Dane."
The Wisconsin Badgers women's hockey team also played some games here. Each year, the state hockey tournaments for high school boys and girls are held at the Coliseum. Minor league hockey teams, the Madison Monsters and Madison Kodiaks, also played here. An indoor football team, the Madison Mad Dogs, played here too.
Exhibition Hall: A Space for Big Events
The Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center has 255,000 square feet (about 23,690 square meters) of space. This building is perfect for conventions, trade shows, and large meetings. It was finished in September 1995.
The Exhibition Hall has 14 meeting rooms and four large exhibit halls. It is connected to the Clarion Suites Madison - Central hotel by a covered walkway.
The lobby of the Exhibition Hall is bright and open, with a huge glass chandelier. You can also see two statues, 'The Farmer's Market Cow' and 'Gallop to Glory Horse', at the entrance. These statues were painted by local artists and show the community's connection to the center.
Geologic Time: Art in the Floor
Inside the Exhibition Hall lobby, you'll find a unique art piece called Geologic Time. Created by artist Michele Oka Doner, it has over 900 bronze medallions set into the floor. These medallions tell a story through pictures.
The images show different parts of Wisconsin's past and present. You can see things like corn, Native American effigy mounds (earthworks shaped like animals), and the state's lakes and rivers. The medallions remind us how the past and present are connected.
Some medallions show nature, like fish, turtles, and flowers. Others show tools used by the first people who lived here. Wisconsin's industries are also part of the design. You can even find the state bird (the American robin), flower (the violet), and tree (the maple) in bronze.
As part of Geologic Time, there's also a bronze statue of Chief Black Hawk in the lobby.
Willow Island: Outdoor Fun
Willow Island is a 29-acre (about 0.12 square kilometer) natural area. It has two ponds surrounding a 7-acre (about 0.028 square kilometer) island. It was created in 2002 and started hosting outdoor events in 2003.
Willow Island is used for outdoor festivals, shows, and music events. In 2004, it hosted the ESPN Great Outdoor Games, where athletes competed in activities like fishing and shooting.
Since 2005, Willow Island has been the home of the annual Brat Fest fundraiser, which happens every Memorial Day weekend. The WJJO Band Camp music festival was also held here from 2004 to 2015, drawing many fans.
Caring for the Environment
On April 19, 2007, the Alliant Energy Center received the Travel Green Certification from Travel Green Wisconsin. This award recognizes businesses that work to reduce their impact on the environment.
The center uses its green spaces on Willow Island wisely. It also buys products that are good for the environment. These actions help build sustainable tourism (tourism that protects the environment) in Wisconsin. The Exhibition Hall also has energy-saving lights and other upgrades to reduce pollution.
