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Mayo Civic Center facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Mayo Civic Center is a large building in Rochester, Minnesota. It is a place where many different events happen. You can find concerts, sports games, and big meetings here.

The first part of the building was finished in 1938. It was a gift to the city from Dr. Charles H. Mayo and the Mayo Clinic. Over the years, the center has grown and been updated many times.

Inside, the Mayo Civic Center has several main areas:

  • A large Ballroom (40,000 sq. ft.) is used for big conferences and fancy parties.
  • An Arena that can hold 7,200 people. It's great for concerts, wrestling, and basketball games.
  • An Auditorium with 3,000 seats. This space hosts concerts, plays, and other sporting events.
  • An Exhibit Hall where you can find consumer shows and special displays.
  • A Presentation Hall theatre with 1,084 fixed seats, perfect for arts performances.
  • The center also has 23 smaller meeting rooms. These rooms are used for different group sizes.

Right next to the center is Mayo Park. This is a peaceful, 11-acre park. It gives groups a chance to host events outdoors.

The Mayo Civic Center has a cool history. It was once home to the Rochester Mustangs ice hockey team. Various professional basketball teams also played here. Music fans might know it as the place where Bon Jovi filmed their "Wanted Dead or Alive" music video in 1986.

Growing Bigger: The 2017 Expansion

In 2017, the Mayo Civic Center became much larger. It almost doubled in size! This big project cost $84 million. The expansion added a new convention center area.

This new part includes:

  • Another 40,000 sq. ft. Ballroom. It can be split into three smaller sections.
  • 16 more meeting rooms.
  • Two special executive boardrooms.

The expanded center now hosts many big events. These include medical and technical conferences. Large business meetings and healthcare summits also take place here.

Mayo Clinic's Connection

The Mayo Civic Center is very important to the Mayo Clinic. It serves as the main place for their meetings and events. Many medical lectures and company gatherings are held at the center.

Exciting Sports and Entertainment

The Mayo Civic Center has hosted many thrilling events over the years.

Professional Wrestling Shows

The center has a long history with professional wrestling. The American Wrestling Association used to broadcast their weekly TV shows from here in the late 1980s. Other wrestling groups like World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling also held events here. More recently, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has brought its shows, including WWE Raw, Smackdown, and ECW. TNA has also hosted events at the center.

Other Fun Events

Many other famous shows and performers have visited the Civic Center. These include Disney Live, Elmo Live, and the Blue Man Group. The amazing Harlem Globetrotters have also performed here.

Many popular music artists have played in the arena, such as:

The Mayo Civic Auditorium is also used for performing arts. Shows like "The Chocolate Factory" and the 1940s Big Band Swing Revue "In the Mood" have been performed here. Broadway shows like Rent have also taken the stage. Every two years, the University of Minnesota Marching Band performs its indoor concert at the venue.

The center annually hosts the NYWA Youth Wrestling State Championships. This is one of the biggest wrestling tournaments for young people in the United States. It also hosted the NCAA Women's Division II Basketball Championship in 2001 and 2002.

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