Alliant Energy PowerHouse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alliant Energy PowerHouse

Former names	Five Seasons Center, U.S. Cellular Center
Location	370 1st Avenue Northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Owner	City of Cedar Rapids
Operator	VenuWorks
Capacity	6,900 (Basketball) 8,600 (Concerts)
Construction
Broke ground	1977
Opened	January 25, 1979
Renovated	2011-2013
Closed	July 2011
Reopened	June 1, 2013
Construction cost	$8 million ($32.3 million in 2022 dollars )
Tenants
Iowa Cornets (WBL) (1979–1980) Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets (CBA) (1988–1991) Cedar Rapids Sharpshooters (GBA) (1992) Cedar Rapids River Raiders (USBL) (2004) Cedar Rapids River Kings (IFL) (2014–present) Cedar Rapids Rampage (MASL) (2015–2018)

The Alliant Energy PowerHouse is a large building in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It's a place where many different events happen, like sports games, concerts, and big meetings. It was first called the Five Seasons Center, then the U.S. Cellular Center, and now it has its current name.

About the Alliant Energy PowerHouse

This arena was built after people in Cedar Rapids voted to use special money for it. It cost about $7 million to build the arena itself. An extra $1 million was used to build a parking garage next to it. This garage connects to the arena with a skywalk. There is also a 16-story DoubleTree hotel built right above the arena.

The Alliant Energy PowerHouse is a very busy place. It hosts many local sports events and concerts. Some important events held here include the Iowa State High School Girls Volleyball Tournament. The Iowa High School Team Dual Wrestling Championships also take place here. For basketball games, about 6,900 people can sit in the arena. For concerts, it can hold up to 8,600 people.

History of the Arena

The arena first opened in 1979 as the Five Seasons Center. The very first concert held here was by the English rock band Yes on April 25, 1979. For a few years, it was the main place for sports and entertainment in Eastern Iowa. Then, the Carver–Hawkeye Arena opened in Iowa City four years later.

Over the years, several professional sports teams have played here. These include the Cedar Rapids River Raiders basketball team. The Cedar Rapids Sharpshooters and the Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets also played their games here. Many high school and college graduation ceremonies are also held at the arena.

Arena exterior

The venue has also hosted big wrestling events. In 1997, it was the site of the first World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Souled Out event. It also hosted other WCW shows in 1994 and 1999. The arena was also home to two early Ultimate Fighting Championship events: UFC 21 in 1999 and UFC 26 in 2000.

Renovations and New Name

In June 2008, the U.S. Cellular Center was flooded. This happened because of the Iowa flood of 2008.

The arena closed in July 2011 for big renovations. These changes were part of a larger plan to build a convention center around the site. The hotel next door, now called the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, was also updated. During the renovations, events were moved to other places. These included the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena and Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The complex reopened with a concert by Lady Antebellum on June 1, 2013. It was chosen to host the NCAA Division II National Volleyball tournament in December 2013.

From 2014 to 2019, the arena was home to the Cedar Rapids River Kings. This was a team in the Indoor Football League. On October 17, 2014, the arena even hosted a professional basketball game. It was an NBA preseason game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On October 23, 2020, the City of Cedar Rapids announced a new name for the arena. It made a deal with Alliant Energy, which provides electricity in the area. The arena became the Alliant Energy PowerHouse starting July 1, 2020. This naming agreement will last for twelve years.