Dorton Arena facts for kids
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Paraboleum
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| Former names | State Fair Arena (1952–1961) |
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| Location | North Carolina State Fairgrounds 1025 Blue Ridge Road Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Owner | State of North Carolina |
| Operator | State of North Carolina |
| Capacity | 5,110 – Arena Football and Hockey 7,610 – Basketball |
| Surface | Ice, Concrete, Hardwood |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1952 |
| Architect | Maciej Nowicki, William Henley Dietrick |
| Tenants | |
| Carolina Cougars (ABA) (1969–1974) Raleigh Bullfrogs (GBA) (1991–1992) Raleigh IceCaps (ECHL) (1991–1998) Raleigh Cougars (USBL) (1997–1999) Raleigh Rebels (AIFL) (2005–2006) Carolina Rollergirls (WFTDA) (2006–present) Triangle Torch (AIF/SIF) (2016–2017) |
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J. S. Dorton Arena
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | North Carolina State Fairgrounds, W. Hillsborough St., Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Built | 1953 |
| Architect | Nowicki, Matthew, et al.; Muirhead, William, Construction |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001375 |
| Added to NRHP | April 11, 1973 |
The J. S. Dorton Arena is a cool building in Raleigh, North Carolina. It's a big arena that can hold up to 7,610 people for basketball games. You can find it on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair. This arena first opened its doors in 1952.
The arena has a very special and unique design. It was created by an architect named Maciej Nowicki. Sadly, he passed away before the building was finished. Another architect, William Henley Dietrick, made sure Nowicki's amazing plans were completed. The roof looks like a saddle and is held up by strong steel cables. These cables are stretched between two giant concrete arches. These arches cross each other high above the ground. The outer walls of the arena don't hold much weight at all! This special design makes the building look like an ellipse (an oval shape). Because of its unique style, Dorton Arena was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It was first called the "State Fair Arena." Later, in 1961, it was named after Dr. J. S. Dorton, who used to manage the North Carolina State Fair.
Over the years, Dorton Arena has been a busy place. It has hosted many exciting sports events and fun concerts. You might also have seen political rallies or circuses here!
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What Makes Dorton Arena Special?
Dorton Arena was the very first building in the world to use a roof held up by cables. Imagine two huge concrete arches leaning towards each other. They cross about 26 feet above the ground. These arches form the outer edges of the building. When you look down from above, the arena looks almost like an oval.
Thin columns around the building help support these arches. Then, strong cables are stretched between the two arches. These cables hold up the saddle-shaped roof. This was a brand-new idea for a permanent building back in 1952. Dorton Arena was built before other famous domed stadiums. These include the Houston Astrodome (built in 1965) and the Louisiana Superdome (built in 1975).
Sports and Exciting Games
Dorton Arena has been home to many different sports teams.
Ice Hockey and Basketball
The Raleigh IceCaps ice hockey team played here for the longest time, from 1991 to 1998. The Carolina Cougars, a basketball team from the American Basketball Association, also played some games at the arena between 1969 and 1974. The arena is also where the Carolina Rollergirls roller derby team plays.
The Carolina Cougars became a "regional team" in 1969. This meant they played their home games in different cities. These included Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Raleigh (at Dorton Arena). A famous coach named Larry Brown started his coaching career with the Cougars in 1972. A player named Billy Cunningham was even named the ABA MVP in the 1972–73 season while playing for the Cougars. Even though they had many fans, the Cougars team was sold and moved in 1974.
Wrestling and Indoor Football
Dorton Arena was a very popular place for professional wrestling in the 1970s and 1980s. Sometimes, there were matches every week! A famous wrestler, Rowdy Roddy Piper, won a big championship here in 1981. He defeated "Nature Boy" Ric Flair for the National Wrestling Alliance U.S. Heavyweight championship.
Starting in 2016, the Triangle Torch indoor football team played at Dorton Arena. They were part of the American Indoor Football league. The Torch later played in Supreme Indoor Football before moving to a different arena in 2018.
Other Fun Events
Besides sports, Dorton Arena is used for many other events.
Concerts and Shows
During the North Carolina State Fair, the arena hosts many concerts. The large floor space is also used for different conventions and fairs. Often, these events happen along with the nearby Jim Graham building.
Robotics and Graduations
The arena has also hosted the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) regional robotics event. It was the first place in North Carolina to hold such a competition.
Both Shaw University and Meredith College use Dorton Arena for their graduation ceremonies. The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics also uses the arena as a backup location for their graduations if it rains.
Music History
For many years, Dorton Arena and Reynolds Coliseum were the main places to see concerts in Raleigh. This was before bigger venues like Walnut Creek Amphitheater and PNC Arena were built. The arena was first designed for livestock shows, not concerts. So, while you can see the stage clearly, the sound used to bounce around a lot. Fair officials have worked hard to make the sound better in recent years. Many famous musicians have played here over the decades. Some of the big names include Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, The Beach Boys, The Supremes, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, Jackson 5, Black Sabbath, KISS, Prince, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Images for kids
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Triangle Torch (black jerseys with and red and yellow accents) vs. Lehigh Valley Steelhawks (gold jerseys with black accents) during a game at Dorton Arena, March 25, 2016
