Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena facts for kids
| The Arena, Brown County Arena, The Vet | |
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| Location | Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 44°30′01″N 88°03′24″W / 44.50028°N 88.05667°W |
| Owner | Brown County |
| Operator | PMI Entertainment Group |
| Capacity | 5,248 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1957 |
| Opened | November 11, 1958 |
| Closed | April 6, 2019 |
| Demolished | April 30, 2019 |
| Construction cost | $2 million |
| Tenants | |
| Green Bay Bobcats (USCHL/USHL) (1958–1981) UW–Green Bay Phoenix (NCAA) (1969–2002) Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) (1994–2002) Green Bay Bombers (PIFL/IFL) (1998–2000) |
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The Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena was a large building in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. It was a place where many different events happened, like sports games and concerts. The arena opened on November 11, 1958. It was located right across from Lambeau Field. The very last event held there was a concert by Bret Michaels on April 6, 2019. The arena was torn down starting April 30, 2019, to make way for a new building called the Brown County Expo Center.
Contents
History of the Arena
A Place for Big Events
The Brown County Arena was built to honor local World War II veterans. It was the first really big indoor place in Green Bay. This meant that large shows and performers could finally come to the city. The arena was the main indoor venue for Green Bay until the Resch Center opened in 2002. The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame even started as a small display on a wall inside the arena.
Exciting Events Held Here
The arena hosted many different kinds of events over the years.
- In 1960, a breakfast was held for John F. Kennedy. He later became president of the United States.
- Elvis Presley, a famous singer, performed at the arena on April 28, 1977.
- The arena was the home court for the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay basketball teams.
It also hosted college basketball tournaments. These included the 1991 Mid-Continent Conference men's basketball tournament. It also hosted the Midwestern Collegiate Conference men's basketball tournament in 1998.
As the arena got older, newer places like the Resch Center were built. Most sports teams moved to these newer venues. Still, the Brown County Arena continued to host concerts, ice shows, and local events. It was also used for high school graduations.
Pro Wrestling Shows
The arena was a popular spot for professional wrestling events.
- In the 1980s and early 2000s, the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) held many shows there.
- Another wrestling company, WCW, also had live events at the arena.
- In December 2001, a company called XWF held a show there. Famous wrestlers like Curt Hennig and Rowdy Roddy Piper appeared.
Final Concert and Closure
The very last concert at the arena was on April 6, 2019. The performer was Bret Michaels, the lead singer of the band Poison. He was chosen because he had started more of his world tours at the arena than anyone else. The first music video for Poison's song "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" was even filmed at the arena. A new video for the song was filmed during this final concert.
A special closing ceremony was held on April 29, 2019. After the ceremony, people from the community could take home two free seats from the arena. They could also buy a four-seat bench for a small fee.
