Mississippi Coast Coliseum facts for kids
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 Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Location in Mississippi
Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2350 Beach Boulevard Biloxi, Mississippi, 39531 |
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| Coordinates | 30°23′37″N 88°58′29″W / 30.3935°N 88.9746°W |
| Public transit |  CTA |
| Owner | Mississippi Coast Coliseum Commission |
| Operator | Mississippi Coast Coliseum Commission |
| Capacity | 11,500 (concerts) 9,150 (ice hockey) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1975 |
| Opened | 1977 |
| Construction cost | $60 million (expansion) |
| Architect | H F Fountain Jr & Associates |
| Tenants | |
| Mississippi Coast Sharks (GBA) (1992) Mississippi Coast Gamblers (USBL) (1994) Mississippi Sea Wolves (ECHL) (1996–2005, 2007–2009) Mississippi Beach Kings (EISL) (1998) Mississippi Fire Dogs (IPFL/NIFL) (1999–2002) Gulf Coast Bandits (WBA) (2005) Mississippi Blues (ABA) (2009–2010) Mississippi Surge (SPHL) (2009–2014) Mississippi Sea Wolves/Biloxi Breakers (FPHL) (2022–present) |
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The Mississippi Coast Coliseum is a large building in Biloxi, Mississippi. It's a place where many different events happen, like concerts, sports games, and big festivals. This multi-purpose arena first opened its doors in 1977. It can hold up to 11,500 people for concerts and 9,150 for ice hockey games. It's a really important spot for entertainment and sports on the Mississippi Coast!
Many famous events have taken place here. For example, it hosted the WCW Beach Blast in 1993. It also held the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament in 1992 and 1993. The Metro Conference men's basketball tournaments were also played here in 1990 and 1994. Even a boxing match between former world heavyweight champions Larry Holmes and Mike Weaver happened here in 2000. Holmes won that fight.
The first concert at the Coliseum was by Charley Pride in November 1977. The first rock band to play there was Blue Öyster Cult in April 1978. The Mississippi Coast Coliseum also hosts one of America's largest crawfish festivals every year. This fun event takes place over two weekends in April.
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Ice Hockey Action
The Coliseum has been home to several ice hockey teams. The Mississippi Sea Wolves (part of the ECHL league) played here for many years. However, Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage to the arena in 2005. Because of this, the Sea Wolves had to cancel their seasons in 2005–2006 and 2006–2007.
After repairs were finished, the Sea Wolves returned to the ice in October 2007. But in March 2009, they stopped playing again. Luckily, the Coliseum didn't stay without hockey for long! The Mississippi Surge team joined the Southern Professional Hockey League. They played at the Coliseum from 2009 to 2014.
In 2021, the Federal Prospects Hockey League held some games in Biloxi. A new group then announced that a new Sea Wolves team would start playing in the 2022–23 season. This new team, also called the Sea Wolves, returned to play at the Coliseum for the 2022–23 season.
Basketball Games
The Coliseum has also been a popular place for basketball. It was once home to the Gulf Coast Bandits. This team played in the World Basketball Association (WBA). Like the Sea Wolves, the Bandits had to cancel their 2006 season because of hurricane damage. They did not return to play after that.
Another team, the Mississippi Coast Gamblers, played here in 1994. They were part of the United States Basketball League. In October 2013, a special preseason NBA game took place at the Coliseum. The New Orleans Pelicans played against the Atlanta Hawks. Nearly 4,000 fans came to watch the Pelicans win that game. The Coliseum also hosted the Metro Conference men's basketball tournaments in 1990 and 1994.
Soccer Matches
The Mississippi Beach Kings soccer team played at the Coliseum in 1998. They were part of the Eastern Indoor Soccer League. The team had a great season, finishing in second place. Their coach, Gary Hindley, was even named coach of the year! The Beach Kings won their first playoff series. They then played in the championship game but lost a close match. The league they played in, the EISL, stopped operating the next year.
Football Fun
The Mississippi Fire Dogs football team also played at the arena. They were part of the National Indoor Football League. The team stopped playing in 2003.
Music Concerts
The Mississippi Coast Coliseum is a major spot for music lovers. It hosts an annual rock festival known as CPR FEST. This festival is put on by a local radio station, 97.9 WCPR-FM. Many popular rock artists have performed at this event. Bands like Three Days Grace, Hinder, and Staind have played there. In 2007, Daughtry, Saliva, and Puddle of Mudd were among the performers.
Famous rock legends like Ozzy Osbourne and Mötley Crüe have also played at the Coliseum. Depeche Mode performed here during their Devotional World Tour. Country star Miranda Lambert has visited the venue multiple times. Her most recent performance was during her Wildcard Tour in early 2020. More recently, Guns N' Roses performed at the Coliseum in September 2023 as part of their We're F'N' Back! Tour.
Wrestling Events
The Coliseum is a popular venue for professional wrestling. WWE has held many exciting events here. These include live shows like WWE Smackdown and WWE Raw. They also hold many "house shows," which are non-televised events. In September 2013, Monday Night Raw was held at the Coliseum for the first time in eight years. SmackDown usually visits the arena about once a year.
