Mountain Health Arena facts for kids
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| Former names | Huntington Civic Center (1977–1993) Huntington Civic Arena (1993–2003) Big Sandy Superstore Arena (2003–2019) |
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| Location | One Civic Center Plaza Huntington, West Virginia |
| Coordinates | 38°25′18″N 82°26′45″W / 38.42166°N 82.44593°W |
| Owner | City of Huntington |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Capacity | 7,500 (arena) 5,600 (indoor football) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1977 |
| Construction cost | $10.5 million ($50.7 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Tenants | |
| Huntington Blizzard (ECHL) (1993–2000) River Cities LocoMotives (NIFL) (2001) Huntington Heroes (AIFA) (2007–2008) Huntington Hammer (UIFL) (2011) |
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The Mountain Health Arena is a large building in downtown Huntington, West Virginia. It's a place where many different events happen. You can see concerts, sports games, and even graduation ceremonies here. It was first called the Huntington Civic Center. Over the years, its name changed a few times because of sponsors. Today, it's known as the Mountain Health Arena. It is a city-owned complex with a 9,000-seat arena and a conference center.
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History of the Arena
The Huntington Civic Center was finished in 1977. It cost about $10.5 million to build. When it first opened, it was the biggest arena in West Virginia.
Early Challenges and Marshall University
At first, the city thought the arena might not be right for Marshall University basketball games. The arena was built in a spot Marshall didn't like. Its design also wasn't ideal for sports. So, Marshall University kept using its older arena, the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse. Later, Marshall built its own arena, the Cam Henderson Center, in 1981.
Financial Struggles and New Management
The arena was very popular at first. But then, a bigger arena opened in nearby Charleston. Also, a big project called Pullman Square was delayed for 25 years. These things made the Huntington Civic Center lose money for the city. Because of this, the city decided to let a private company manage the building.
Home to Sports Teams
From 1993 to 2000, the arena was called the Huntington Civic Arena. It became home to the Huntington Blizzard, an ECHL hockey team. During this time, the arena was changed to be better for hockey and other team sports.
Later, the arena hosted the River Cities LocoMotives football team in 2001. They were part of the NIFL. The arena also became home to the American Indoor Football Association's Huntington Heroes. This team moved to the arena after playing their first season at the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse. In 2011, the Ultimate Indoor Football League chose Huntington for a new team, the Huntington Hammer, which also played here.
Name Changes and Sponsorships
The arena's name changed several times due to sponsorships. Big Sandy Superstores, a furniture and appliance chain, bought the naming rights first. So, the arena was called the Big Sandy Superstore Arena. After that deal ended, the arena went back to its general name for a short time. Then, the Mountain Health System bought the sponsorship rights. This system owns Cabell Huntington Hospital and St. Mary's Medical Center. That's why the arena is now called the Mountain Health Arena. Today, ASM Global manages the facility.
Arena Renovations and Upgrades
The Huntington Civic Center was 20 years old and needed updates. In fall 1997, $3.5 million was set aside for renovations. The work finally started in 2000.
Major Improvements
The inside and outside of the building were repainted gray and maroon. The roof, which had been leaking, was fixed. The conference area was made larger, and the kitchen was improved.
Seating and Basketball Court
In late 2011, the arena closed for four months for another big renovation. All of the seats were replaced. In 2012, the arena bought the basketball floor from the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse, which was about to be torn down. This floor was special because it was first used at the Cam Henderson Center. It still had the markings and logos from Marshall University's Mid-American Conference era.
