Dow Event Center facts for kids
| "The Dow" | |
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| Former names | The Saginaw County Event Center Saginaw Civic Center |
|---|---|
| Location | 303 Johnson Street Saginaw, Michigan 48607-1213 |
| Owner | Saginaw County |
| Operator | SMG |
| Capacity | Concerts: 7,647 Basketball: 6,217 Hockey 5,527 Indoor Football 5,201 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1970 |
| Opened | 1972 |
| Renovated | 2003 |
| Construction cost | $17 million (renovation) ($27 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Wigen, Tincknell, Meyer & Associates, Inc. |
| Tenants | |
| Saginaw Gears (IHL) (1972–1983) Mid-Michigan Great Lakers (GBA) (1991–1992) Saginaw Wheels/Lumber Kings/Gears (CoHL/UHL) (1994–1999) Saginaw Spirit (OHL) (2002–present) Saginaw Sting (CIFL/IFL/UIFL/AIF) (2008–2009, 2011–2015) |
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The Dow Event Center is a large indoor building in Saginaw, Michigan. It's a place where many exciting events happen! People sometimes call it "The Dow." It used to be known as the Saginaw County Event Center or Saginaw Civic Center.
This center has different areas, like The Atrium, The Garden Room, The Theater, The Red Room, and Huntington Event Park. The main part is The Arena.
Today, it's the home of the Saginaw Spirit hockey team, which plays in the Ontario Hockey League. Many other hockey teams have played here in the past. These include the Saginaw Lumber Kings and two different Saginaw Gears teams.
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Discover The Dow Event Center
The Dow Event Center is a popular spot for many different activities. It has a big arena and a theater. The Arena can hold about 7,600 people for concerts. For exciting hockey games, it can fit around 5,500 fans. The Theater inside the center is a bit smaller, with seats for 2,276 people.
History of The Dow Event Center
The Dow Event Center was first built in 1972. It was part of a plan to improve the city. Sadly, many other buildings from that plan were taken down later. This was due to various issues, including financial problems.
In the 1990s, the center faced some money troubles. The city didn't have enough funds to keep it running smoothly. But things changed in the early 2000s! The building got a big makeover. This was to make it a better place for a new hockey team.
In 2004, the building got its current name. The Dow Chemical Company, a big company from nearby Midland, helped with the renovations. They got the naming rights for the center.
Ownership Changes and Renovations
On May 8, 2001, voters decided to change who owned the center. It went from being owned by the City of Saginaw to Saginaw County. The city closed the building for one day, and then the county reopened it.
The county then hired a company called SMG Worldwide to manage the center. They started making big improvements to the building. The renovations cost about $17 million. All the work was finished in 2003, making the center modern and ready for new events.
What Happens at The Dow?
The Dow Event Center is a busy place! It hosts all sorts of events. You can see big concerts here. Sometimes, important political meetings happen here too. Many schools also hold their graduation ceremonies at the center.
It's also a great spot for trade shows. These are events where different businesses show off their products. The main arena, called Wendler Arena, has a huge space of 25,000 square feet for these shows.
Past Events and Conventions
The center has hosted some famous events. For example, it was the location for a big wrestling event called "In Your House 3" in 1995.
Since 2005, Jehovah's Witnesses have held their annual District Conventions at The Dow Event Center. These are three-day meetings that happen every weekend from mid-June to early July. They used to hold these meetings at the Pontiac Silverdome. But when there were talks about tearing down the Silverdome, they moved to The Dow.
Images for kids
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The interior of The Dow Event Center.
