Hersheypark Arena facts for kids
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"The Old Barn"
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| Former names | Hershey Sports Arena (1936–1972) |
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| Location | 100 West Hersheypark Drive Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033 |
| Coordinates | 40°17′17″N 76°39′23″W / 40.28806°N 76.65639°W |
| Operator | Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company |
| Capacity | 7,286 |
| Surface | Ice |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1936 |
| Tenants | |
| Hershey Bears (AHL) (1938–2002) Hershey Impact (NPSL) (1988–1991) Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen (UCHC) (1998–present) |
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Hersheypark Arena, also known as "The Old Barn," is a cool indoor building in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It's managed by the Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company. This arena is used for many different events, especially sports like ice hockey. It can hold over 7,000 people for hockey games!
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History of the Arena
When it was built in 1936, Hersheypark Arena was called Hershey Sports Arena. It was special because it was the biggest building in the U.S. where everyone had a clear view of the action! For 64 years, from 1938 to 2002, it was the home of the famous Hershey Bears hockey team.
The arena also hosted other sports. It was a place for high school basketball and wrestling championships in Pennsylvania. From 1988 to 1991, it was home to the Hershey Impact, a professional soccer team.
Besides sports, many other events happened here. The arena hosted ice shows like Ice Capades and Disney on Ice. There were also professional boxing matches and tennis games. Even famous wrestling events, like the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF) In Your House 5 in 1995, took place here. Before that, in 1985, wrestling stars like Hulk Hogan and André the Giant wrestled at the arena.
On October 13, 1953, the arena held a big birthday party for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. His farm was in nearby Gettysburg. The band Phish even played a concert here in 1995, which was later released as a live album.
On September 22, 2012, a unique event happened: the arena hosted its only wedding! It took place right on the ice.
Basketball History
A very famous basketball game happened here on March 2, 1962. Wilt Chamberlain, a player for the Philadelphia Warriors, scored an amazing 100 points in an NBA game against the New York Knicks. This is still a record today!
Roof Fire Incident
On July 5, 2012, a fire broke out at the arena while it was being fixed up. The fire burned for about two hours before it was put out. The roof was damaged, but luckily, it was not in danger of collapsing. The cause of this fire is still unknown.
What the Arena is Used For Now
Hersheypark Arena is currently the home ice rink for the Lebanon Valley College ice hockey team. This team plays in NCAA Division III. The arena also hosts the Hershey Junior Bears, which is a youth hockey team.
On most weekends during the fall and winter, the rink is open for public ice skating. It's a great place to go for a skate! The arena also hosts part of the Music in the Parks competition every year.
Images for kids
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Hershey Bears opening night, 1937
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Aerial view of the arena
