Lahaina Civic Center facts for kids

The Lahaina Civic Center is a cool place in Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui. It's a big building where people go for sports, meetings, and fun events.

Every November, a super exciting basketball event happens here. It's called the Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament. College teams from all over come to play! Chaminade University hosts this big tournament.

Lots of other things happen at the Civic Center too. There's a World Youth Basketball Tournament in July. You can also find concerts, special shows, and fun community fairs here.

History of the Civic Center

The Lahaina Civic Center was built a long time ago, in 1972. It has been a busy spot for over 50 years!

Something interesting happened in 2005. The building got air conditioning for the first time. People say this happened after a famous basketball coach, Roy Williams, visited. He was coaching the North Carolina men's basketball team. He noticed the floors were wet because of the humidity during the Maui Invitational Tournament. So, they added air conditioning to make it more comfortable!

Cool Facilities at the Center

The Main Gymnasium

The Civic Center Gymnasium is a large indoor sports area. It has seats for 2,400 people. The main floor is huge, about 20,800 square feet. That's like 160 feet long and 130 feet wide!

There are permanent seats on one side. Other seats can be pulled out or pushed back, like bleachers. The gym has four locker rooms and two public restrooms. When the bleachers are put away, the floor is big enough for two sports courts side-by-side.

The Social Hall

The Social Hall is another air-conditioned room. It's about 4,140 square feet. This room can hold up to 322 people. It's often used for meetings or smaller events. You can even divide it into two smaller rooms. It also has a basic kitchen.

Outdoor Amphitheater

The Civic Center also has a big outdoor stage area. It's called an amphitheater. It can hold 2,000 people on tiered lawn seating. The stage is 2,176 square feet. It has special sound and lighting systems for shows. There are even dressing rooms for performers.

Other Fun Spots

If you love tennis, you're in luck! There are five tennis courts available. They have lights so you can play even when it's dark. You'll also find water fountains around.

There's plenty of parking too, with space for 900 cars. The Maui County Parks and Recreation office is also located inside this building.