Covelli Centre facts for kids
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| Former names | Youngstown Convocation Center (planning/construction) Chevrolet Centre (2005–09) |
|---|---|
| Location | 229 East Front Street Youngstown, Ohio 44503 |
| Owner | City of Youngstown |
| Operator | SMG |
| Capacity | Basketball: 5,900 Ice Hockey/Arena Football: 5,717 Concerts: 7,000 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 21, 2004 |
| Opened | October 19, 2005 |
| Construction cost | $42 million ($62.9 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | PBK Architects, Ltd. |
| Project manager | Frew Nations Group |
| Structural engineer | Cochrane Group, Inc. |
| Services engineer | Murray & Associates, Inc. |
| General contractor | Hunt/AP O'Horo |
| Tenants | |
| Youngstown SteelHounds (CHL) (2005–2008) Mahoning Valley Thunder (AF2) (2007–2009) Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) (2009–present) Little Steel Derby Girls (WFTDA) (2012–present) Youngstown Nighthawks (PASL) (2015) |
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The Covelli Centre is a large building in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. It's a place where many different events happen. It opened in 2005. The building was made possible with a big grant from the government. This grant was supported by Congressman James A. Traficant, Jr..
Today, the Covelli Centre is the home of the Youngstown Phantoms. They are a hockey team that plays in the United States Hockey League. Before it was called the Covelli Centre, it had other names. People sometimes call it "The Chevy Centre" or "The Convo."
History of the Centre
The Covelli Centre first opened its doors on October 29, 2005. The very first event was a concert by the band 3 Doors Down. About a week later, on November 4, the first hockey game was played there.
The city of Youngstown owns the arena. For a while, a local company called Eric Ryan Productions helped manage it. Later, a company called SMG took over running the building.
When the arena first opened in October 2005, it was called the Convocation Center. A few weeks later, on November 18, 2005, its name changed. This happened because General Motors bought the rights to name the building. They chose to call it the Chevrolet Centre. This name was a good fit because Chevrolet made a popular car, the Cobalt, in nearby Lordstown.
On October 4, 2008, General Motors decided not to continue their naming deal. So, the city looked for a new sponsor. On April 30, 2009, a local business owner named Sam Covelli stepped in. His company, Covelli Enterprises, owns many Panera Bread and O'Charley's restaurants. He signed a deal to rename the building the Covelli Centre. The new name officially began on June 1, 2009.
The Youngstown Phantoms hockey team started playing some of their games at the arena in November 2008. In 2009, they moved into the Covelli Centre full-time. The arena also hosts other sports teams. For example, the Youngstown Nighthawks soccer team has played there. The Ohio Junior High wrestling championships have also been held at the arena.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Covelli Centre was used as a special medical space. It helped local hospitals by providing extra room for patients.
Cool Records
The Covelli Centre had its first sold-out shows on November 12, 2005. These were two concerts by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Both their afternoon and evening shows were completely full. The first sold-out hockey game happened on January 14, 2006.
On March 8, 2010, it was announced that Elton John would perform at the Covelli Centre. His concert on May 1, 2010, sold out in a record-breaking 30 minutes! This was faster than any other event before it. The previous record was held by Carrie Underwood, whose concert tickets sold out in 48 hours.
Helping the City Grow
The Covelli Centre has been a big part of making downtown Youngstown better. It has helped the local economy. When there are events at the arena, many people visit the bars and restaurants nearby. This brings more business to the area.
The city and other businesses also made an agreement. This allows people to park for free in downtown Youngstown on days when there is an event at the arena. This makes it easier for everyone to come and enjoy the shows and games.
