Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza facts for kids
Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza is a large building in Wilkes-Barre Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It's a place where many exciting events happen. People come here to watch sports, concerts, and other fun shows. It's managed by a company called SMG.
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| Former names | Northeastern Pennsylvania Civic Arena and Convention Center (1998–2000) First Union Arena (2000–2003) Wachovia Arena (2003–2010) |
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| Location | 255 Highland Park Boulvevard Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania 18703 |
| Coordinates | 41°14′26″N 75°50′55″W / 41.240471°N 75.848504°W |
| Owner | Luzerne County Convention Center Authority |
| Operator | SMG |
| Capacity | 8,300 (Hockey) 10,000 (Concerts) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 15, 1997 |
| Opened | November 13, 1999 |
| Construction cost | $44 million |
| Architect | Heinlein Schrock |
| Project manager | Hammes Company |
| Structural engineer | Quad3 Group, Inc. |
| Services engineer | Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. |
| General contractor | Oscar J. Boldt Construction Company |
| Tenants | |
| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL) (1999–present) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (af2) (2002–2009) |
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Contents
History of the Arena
The arena was built in 1998. It was a big project supported by Pennsylvania Governors Robert P. Casey, Sr. and Tom Ridge. A local representative, Kevin Blaum, also helped a lot. The land for the arena was given by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber.
How the Arena Got its Name
When it first opened, the arena was called the Northeastern Pennsylvania Civic Arena and Convention Center. In 2000, a bank called First Union bought the rights to name the arena. So, it became the First Union Arena.
Later, in 2003, First Union Bank joined with another bank called Wachovia. Because of this, the arena's name changed again to Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza. Finally, in 2010, the arena got its current name, Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. This happened because of a 10-year agreement with the Mohegan Sun Pocono casino.
Sports Teams at the Arena
Since 1999, the arena has been the home of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. They are a professional ice hockey team in the AHL. It was also once home to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, an arena football team.
Events and Recognition
The Mohegan Sun Arena is known as one of the best arenas in the country for its size. Many entertainment magazines have praised it. They like how well it handles large crowds and how easy it is to set up and take down shows.
Hockey Records
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey team has set some amazing records here. They hold the American Hockey League record for the most sold-out games in a season. They sold out all 40 home games in both the 2002–2003 and 2003–2004 seasons. They also had a streak of 90 sold-out games in a row from 2002 to 2004!
Other Exciting Events
Besides hockey games, many other fun events happen at the arena. You can see circus performances and professional ice skating shows. The Harlem Globetrotters basketball team often visits. Every Christmas, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra performs a special concert.
The arena also hosts graduation ceremonies for several local colleges and high schools. These include King's College, University of Scranton, and Marywood University.
Wrestling Shows
Professional wrestling has been a regular event at the arena since 2000. The first big wrestling show was WCW Monday Nitro in January 2000. WWE has also held many live events here. In 2007, the arena hosted the WWE Draft. In 2016, it was the location for the 900th episode of WWE Smackdown.
Famous Concerts
Many famous musicians have performed at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Some of these include Bob Dylan, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Elton John, Cher, and The Eagles.
In 2016, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performed its very last elephant show here. This happened a year before the circus closed down completely.
Sports Games
In 2003, two famous basketball teams, the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets, played a preseason game at the arena.
Political Events
The arena has also been a place for important political gatherings. In 2004, George W. Bush held a rally here when he was running for president again.
More recently, Donald Trump has held several events at the arena. He had rallies here in 2016 when he was running for president. He also returned in 2018 as president to support a political campaign.
Images for kids
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Side Angle View
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Center Ice View
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The Arena during a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey game.
Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
