Neal S. Blaisdell Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Neal S. Blaisdell Center |
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| Address | 777 Ward Ave Honolulu, Hawaii 96814-2166 |
| Location | Downtown Honolulu, Oahu |
| Coordinates | 21°18′00″N 157°51′02″W / 21.29991°N 157.85062°W |
| Owner | City and County of Honolulu |
| Opened | September 12, 1964 |
| Renovated | 1994 |
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Construction cost
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$14 million |
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Former names
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Honolulu International Center (1964–76) |
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Classroom-style seating
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| Banquet/ballroom |
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Theatre seating
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| Enclosed space | |
| • Exhibit hall floor | 65,000 square feet (6,000 m2) |
| • Breakout/meeting | 3,200 square feet (300 m2) |
| • Ballroom | 23,700 square feet (2,200 m2) |
The Neal S. Blaisdell Center is a big community hub in Honolulu, Hawaii. It's a place where lots of different events happen, like concerts, sports games, and shows. This center has an arena, a concert hall, an exhibition hall, and many meeting rooms. It's also close to the Waikiki Shell, another cool venue.
This center was built in 1964 and was first called the Honolulu International Center. It was later renamed after Neal S. Blaisdell, who was the Mayor of Honolulu and helped make it happen. The center got a big update in 1994. Today, the city is looking for ways to make the center even better, asking for ideas from everyone in the community.
Contents
Fun Events and Cool Places
The Blaisdell Arena: Where the Action Happens
The Neal S. Blaisdell Arena is a round building used for concerts and big sports events. It can hold about 7,700 people for sports. For concerts, it can fit up to 8,800 people when seats are added on the floor.
Many famous musicians have performed here. The Monkees played their first live concert here in 1966. Elvis Presley's famous Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite concert happened here in 1973. You can even see a bronze statue of Elvis outside the arena today!
Other exciting events include WWE wrestling shows, Disney on Ice, and American Idol Live!. College basketball and volleyball games are also played here. Many schools hold their graduation ceremonies in the arena each year.
Sports at the Arena
The Blaisdell Arena is a popular spot for sports. It hosts exhibition games for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. Hawaii Pacific University's basketball and volleyball teams also play their home games here.
In 1982, a huge upset in college basketball happened here. A small school called Chaminade University beat the number one ranked University of Virginia team. This was a truly surprising win!
The arena has also been home to a few professional sports teams from Hawaii. These included basketball, tennis, and indoor football teams. In 2020, the arena hosted a Davis Cup tennis match between the United States and Uzbekistan.
The Blaisdell Concert Hall: Music and Shows
The Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall has 2,158 seats. It used to be the main home for the Honolulu Symphony and the Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre.
Many popular Broadway shows have come to this hall. These include The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, and The Lion King. It's a great place to see amazing live performances.
The Blaisdell Exhibition Hall: Fairs and Expos
The Exhibition Hall is located between the Concert Hall and the Arena. It has a huge space, about 65,000 square feet, for different events. You can even make it bigger by adding nearby rooms.
This hall hosts many local fairs and shows throughout the year. You might find craft fairs, family expos, job fairs, and food shows here. It's one of the main places in Honolulu for big public events.
Other Events at the Center
The Neal S. Blaisdell Center is also used for many other important gatherings. Religious ceremonies, like the installation of new bishops for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, have taken place here.
Since 1964, Kamehameha Schools has held its yearly song contest at the Blaisdell. This is a much-loved tradition for the students and community.
See also
- List of concert halls
