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Giant Center facts for kids

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Giant Center
Giant Center.svg
Giant Center October 2024.png
The Interior of Giant Center in October 2024
Giant Center is located in Pennsylvania
Giant Center
Giant Center
Location in Pennsylvania
Giant Center is located in the United States
Giant Center
Giant Center
Location in the United States
Address 550 West Hersheypark Drive
Location Hershey, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coordinates 40°17′11″N 76°40′9″W / 40.28639°N 76.66917°W / 40.28639; -76.66917
Owner Derry Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority
Operator Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company
Capacity 12,500 (concerts)
10,500 (hockey)
Field size 17,000 square feet (1,600 m2)
Construction
Broke ground November 8, 2000
Opened October 15, 2002
Construction cost $65 million
($106 million in 2022 dollars )
Architect HOK Sport
Project manager Reynolds Construction Management, Inc.
Structural engineer Century Engineering
Services engineer Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.
General contractor Hunt/Whiting-Turner
Tenants
Hershey Bears (AHL) 2002–present
Harrisburg Stampede (PIFL) 2014

The Giant Center is a large building in Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. It's a multi-purpose arena, meaning it hosts many different kinds of events. It has 10,500 seats for hockey games.

This arena is the home of the Hershey Bears ice hockey team. The Bears are a very old team in the American Hockey League, playing since 1938. Giant Center became their home in 2002, replacing the older Hersheypark Arena.

The Giant Center is owned by the Derry Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority. Much of the money to build it came from the state of Pennsylvania. The Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company operates the arena. The name "Giant Center" comes from the Giant-Carlisle grocery store chain.

The arena has 7,700 seats on the lower level and 2,800 on the upper level. There are also 688 special club seats and 40 luxury suites. Seats for wheelchairs and companions are available on all levels.

Exciting Events at Giant Center

Giant Center is not just for hockey! It hosts many fun events each year. These include concerts, sports championships, and other big shows.

Memorable Moments and Shows

  • October 15, 2002: The first concert at Giant Center featured the famous singer Cher. Her "Living Proof: The Farewell Tour" brought in over 9,400 fans.
  • 2003: Giant Center hosted WWE's "Unforgiven" event.
  • November 23, 2009: WWE Raw held a special Thanksgiving episode here. They returned for another themed episode in 2010. Many other Raw and WWE Friday Night SmackDown shows have also been at Giant Center.
  • January 30 and 31, 2011: The arena hosted the 2011 American Hockey League All-Star Game. This included a skills competition where players showed off their talents.
  • 2015: Elizabethtown College held the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships at Giant Center.
  • 2015: Before the 2015–16 hockey season, the arena got a big upgrade. A new, large, four-sided HD scoreboard was installed. New LED screens also went around the seating area. These screens make watching games even better!
  • October 1, 2016: Country music star Carrie Underwood performed at Giant Center. Her stage was set up in the middle of the arena, giving everyone a great view. She came back again in 2019.
  • November 4, 2016: A large political campaign rally took place here. It set a record for attendance with 12,500 people inside. Thousands more watched outside on screens. Another rally was held in 2019.
  • December 28–31, 2023: Giant Center hosted "Monster High Live," a popular show.
  • June 24, 2024: The Hershey Bears set a new team attendance record. 11,013 fans watched them win their 13th Calder Cup in an exciting overtime game!

Concerts by Famous Artists

Many popular musicians have performed at Giant Center. The arena has welcomed a wide range of artists, from rock bands to pop stars and country singers. Some of the well-known acts include:

Images for kids

  • Panaramic Bears Game

    Panoramic view of Bears game

  • GiantCenterBearsGame

    Giant Center before a game against the Lake Erie Monsters

  • Outside Giant Center

    Front of Giant Center

  • Ice Shot of GC

    Inside Giant Center from the ice

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