Daphne Civic Center facts for kids
The Daphne Civic Center is a big building in Daphne, Alabama. It's a place where many different events happen. People use it for large meetings, shows, and community gatherings. Daphne is a town near Mobile.
This center has a huge main hall for exhibits and events. It's about 11,931 square feet (1,108 square meters). This hall also has a stage for performances. It can hold 1,700 people for concerts. For big dinners, it can seat 900 guests. The roof of this hall is high, reaching about 24 feet (7 meters).
The Civic Center also has five smaller meeting rooms. These rooms add up to 4,683 square feet (435 square meters). There is also a large, round lobby. This lobby is 4,900 square feet (455 square meters). You can find snack stands and restrooms in the lobby.
History of the Daphne Civic Center
The idea for the Daphne Civic Center started in April 1996. At first, it was expected to cost about $4.2 million. In May 1997, plans to borrow money for the building were approved. The budget was set at $4.5 million.
When the center was finished, it cost more than planned. The final cost to build and equip it was $6 million. The center was supposed to be ready in September 1999. However, it opened to the public a little later.
The first event was held on December 2, 1999. It was a holiday fundraiser called "Christmas by the Bay." The official grand opening ceremony happened in January 2000.
Events at the Civic Center
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The Daphne Civic Center hosts many different events. Some events happen every year. Others are special, one-time gatherings.
One popular event is the annual Gulf Coast Zydeco Music Festival. This festival celebrates Zydeco music. In February 2008, the center was in the news. It hosted a big Mardi Gras party. Just twelve hours later, it was ready to be a place for people to vote. This showed how quickly the center could change from one type of event to another.
