Ocean Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ocean Center |
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| Address | 101 N Atlantic Avenue |
| Location | Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Operator | Volusia County Government |
| Inaugurated | October 5, 1985 |
| Renovated | 2009 |
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Construction cost
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$82 million (2009 renovations) |
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Classroom-style seating
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16 (Ocean Room) 8 (Clyde Mann Suite) |
| Banquet/ballroom | 896 (Ballroom) |
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Theatre seating
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9,312 (Arena) 8,020 (Basketball) |
| Enclosed space | |
| • Total space | 205,000 square feet (19,000 m2) |
| • Exhibit hall floor | 93,028 square feet (8,642.6 m2) |
| • Breakout/meeting | 34,507 square feet (3,205.8 m2) |
| • Ballroom | 53,979 square feet (5,014.8 m2) |
| Parking | 3 lots, 2068 total spaces |
| Tenants | |
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The Ocean Center is a large building in Daytona Beach, Florida, where many different events happen. It's like a giant community hub! It first opened its doors in 1985. Today, it is one of the biggest convention centers in all of Florida. People come here for everything from sports games to concerts and big meetings.
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Discover the Ocean Center Building
The Ocean Center has a huge amount of space for all kinds of activities. It offers over 205,000 square feet (about 19,000 square meters) for meetings. This includes a main arena, a big ballroom, and many smaller meeting rooms. There's also a massive exhibit hall with high ceilings. This hall is perfect for large displays and shows. It even has big doors for vehicles to drive right in!
A Welcoming Grand Entrance
The Ocean Center has a special grand entrance. This area was made possible by a grant, which is like a gift of money. It created a Cultural Information Center (CIC). This center has lots of lobby space, restrooms, and places to buy snacks. It also shows off art from local artists. You can see permanent art pieces and special visiting exhibits. There's even a cool mural on a wall that changes with the events happening inside!
What Happens in the Arena?
The main arena at the Ocean Center is super flexible. It can hold thousands of people depending on the event. For example, it seats over 6,000 people for ice hockey games. For basketball, it can fit more than 8,000 fans. It's also used for exciting events like the circus and ice shows. Many concerts, trade shows, and even high school graduations take place here.
A Look at Ocean Center's History
The Ocean Center first opened in 1985. Back then, it had 60,000 square feet of exhibit space. It also had 18 smaller rooms for meetings. The very first concert was by Christian pop singer Amy Grant. She performed for nearly 3,000 people. Two days later, the famous singer John Denver performed for the grand opening. He played for over 7,000 fans!
Exciting Events at the Ocean Center
The Ocean Center has hosted many famous performers and events over the years. You might have seen the amazing Harlem Globetrotters here. Other fun shows included the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus and monster truck rallies. The Miss Teen USA Pageant also took place at the center. Even the friendly characters from Sesame Street have visited many times!
Music and Entertainment
Many popular music stars have performed at the Ocean Center. These include artists like Gloria Estefan and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. More recently, stars like Pitbull, Florida Georgia Line, Maroon 5, and Ariana Grande have played here. Rock bands like Iron Maiden and AC/DC have also rocked the stage.
Wrestling and Gaming Events
The Ocean Center has been a venue for big professional wrestling events. World Championship Wrestling (WCW) held their "Bash At The Beach" event here in 1996. Later, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) also held their "Bound for Glory" event in 2010. These events brought many wrestling fans to Daytona Beach.
From 2018 to 2024, the center was home to the Community Effort Orlando eSports tournament. This is a big competition for video game players. In 2018, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) even held a special event there as part of the gaming festival. In 2019, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) had their "Fyter Fest" event at the Ocean Center.
Sports Competitions
The Ocean Center is a popular spot for many sports. It has hosted college basketball tournaments, like the 2021 College Basketball Invitational which returned in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Bethune-Cookman University also plays some of its basketball games here. Cheerleading and dance competitions, like those from the National Cheerleaders Association, have been held for over 20 years.
Volleyball tournaments, such as the Daytona 100 and Florida Volleyball Festival, also use the center. Gymnastics events, including Pan American Gymnastics, have taken place here too. In 2015, the Geico Endurocross series, a type of motorcycle race, started its championship at the Ocean Center.
Ice Hockey History
For a few years in the 1990s, the Ocean Center was home to an ice hockey team. The Daytona Beach Sun Devils played here from 1992 to 1995. They later changed their name to the Daytona Beach Breakers.
Other Community Events
The Ocean Center hosts many other events for the community.
- Daytona Beach Garden Show – An annual event for garden lovers.
- Daytona Beach Home Show – An annual event for home improvement ideas.
- National Reptile Breeders Expo – An annual event where people can see and buy reptiles.
- National High School Drill Team Championships – This event brings together high school Junior ROTC teams. They show off their military drill and ceremony skills. It's a big competition with about 4,000 participants over three days.
- National Youth Football Championships – Held every year around American Thanksgiving. This event gathers youth football and cheerleading teams from across North America. It includes a cheer competition and an awards ceremony.
- Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit – This is an annual championship for winter guard and indoor percussion teams. They perform and compete for state titles.
See also
- List of convention centers in the United States
