SNHU Arena facts for kids
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The arena in 2016
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| Full name | Southern New Hampshire University Arena |
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| Former names | Manchester Civic Arena (planning/construction) Verizon Wireless Arena (2001–16) |
| Address | 555 Elm Street |
| Location | Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 42°59′11″N 71°27′44″W / 42.98639°N 71.46222°W |
| Owner | City of Manchester |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Capacity | 9,852 (hockey) 11,140 (basketball) 10,050 (end stage) 12,000 (centerstage concerts) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 13, 2000 |
| Opened | November 15, 2001 |
| Construction cost | $68 million ($116 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | HOK Sports Lavallee Brensinger Architects |
| Project manager | ScheerGame Sports Development, LLC. |
| Structural engineer | LeMessurier Consultants |
| General contractor | Gilbane/Harvey |
| Tenants | |
| Manchester Monarchs (AHL) (2001–2015) Manchester Wolves (af2) (2004–2009) Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) (2015–2019) New England Liberty (LFL) (2016) |
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The SNHU Arena is a large indoor building in Manchester, New Hampshire. It's a place where many exciting events happen. You can watch ice hockey games with almost 10,000 fans. For basketball games, over 11,000 people can cheer on their favorite teams. When it's time for concerts, the arena can hold up to 12,000 music lovers!
This arena first opened its doors on November 15, 2001. During its construction, it was known as the Manchester Civic Arena. Before it opened, a company called Verizon Wireless bought the rights to name the building. So, for many years, it was called the Verizon Wireless Arena.
In 2016, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) bought the naming rights. This means the university pays to have its name on the arena. This deal also helps students get internships at the arena. The university can also use the arena for its own sports and events. The name officially changed to SNHU Arena on September 1, 2016.
The SNHU Arena has special seating areas. There are 542 club seats, which are extra comfy. It also has 34 luxury suites and five party suites. These are like private rooms where groups can watch events.
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Arena Design and Features
The SNHU Arena is located right in downtown Manchester. It sits on Elm Street, a main road in the city. The building was built where an old department store used to be.
The outside of the arena is easy to spot. It has a cool curved blue roof. This special roof helps heavy New Hampshire snow slide right off! The top part of the building is made of steel and is shaped like an oval. At night, the western side lights up, making it visible from far away. The bottom part of the building is made of red brick. This brick looks similar to the old factory buildings, called mills, that Manchester is famous for. The main entrance, on the western side, is all made of glass.
Inside, the main floor is at ground level on the west side. The main area where people walk around, called the concourse, is on the second floor. This concourse goes all the way around the arena. You'll find all the snack bars and food stands there. There are two main levels of seats: loge seats and a balcony. The arena also has a big, four-sided scoreboard hanging above the center. It shows replays and scores during games. There are also video screens along the sides.
There isn't much parking right at the arena. Most visitors park on nearby streets or in other parking lots in downtown Manchester.
Exciting Sporting Events
The SNHU Arena has hosted many different sports. It's a busy place for athletes and fans!
Ice Hockey Action
The arena was home to the Manchester Monarchs ice hockey team for many years. First, an AHL (American Hockey League) team played there from 2001 to 2015. They even won the Calder Cup championship in their last season! Then, a different Monarchs team, from the ECHL league, played from 2015 to 2019. Both teams were connected to the Los Angeles Kings NHL team. The arena also hosted the AHL All-Star Game in 2005.
Boxing Matches
On November 19, 2021, the SNHU Arena held its first-ever professional boxing match. It was a big fight between Demetrius Andrade and Jason Quigley.
Indoor Football Fun
From 2004 to 2009, the arena was home to the Manchester Wolves. They were an indoor football team in a league called AF2. In 2016, a women's team called the New England Liberty also played one home game there.
Basketball Games
The Boston Celtics, a famous NBA team, sometimes play practice games at the arena. The amazing Harlem Globetrotters also visit the arena to show off their basketball tricks!
College Sports
The University of New Hampshire men's hockey team sometimes plays games at the SNHU Arena. They often play against Dartmouth College in a special game called the "Battle for the Riverstone Cup." They also play against the University of Maine Black Bears.
Since 2004, Manchester has often hosted regional tournaments for college ice hockey. The University of New Hampshire has been the host school for these big tournaments many times.
Professional Wrestling
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has held exciting wrestling events at the arena almost every year since 2002. This includes a big pay-per-view show called WWE Backlash in 2005. The arena also hosted WWE Smackdown and WWE 205 Live shows in 2019. More recently, WWE held a live event on June 4, 2023.
Other Sports
High school basketball and hockey championships for the state of New Hampshire are often held at the arena. The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) also bring their "Unleashed the Beast" tour to the arena.
Amazing Concerts
The SNHU Arena is one of the biggest places in New Hampshire to see live music. Many famous singers and bands have performed there. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra have both played at the arena many times. They often visit in December for special holiday concerts.
Other Exciting Events
Besides sports and concerts, the SNHU Arena hosts many other important events.
In June 2007, Hillary Clinton spoke at a high school graduation held at the arena. Later that year, in December 2007, then-Senator Barack Obama and TV star Oprah Winfrey held a big campaign rally there. Over 8,000 people came to see them! Obama also spoke at a Southern New Hampshire University graduation in May 2007.
Adam Sandler, a famous actor who grew up in Manchester, has given three graduation speeches at the arena. He spoke to graduates from his old high school, Manchester Central High School, in 2003 and 2010. He also spoke at Manchester Memorial High School's graduation in 2008.
In 2012, politician Mitt Romney gave his final speech before election day at the arena. Nearly 18,000 people attended, making it the largest political event in New Hampshire's history! The event even included a concert by Kid Rock.
Donald Trump also held several large rallies at the arena. He visited in February 2016 before the New Hampshire Presidential Primary. He returned in November 2016, the night before the general election. He also held rallies for the 2020 election in August 2019 and February 2020.
The New Hampshire Democratic Party has held its yearly convention at the arena. The FIRST Robotics Competition also holds its regional event, the BAE Systems Granite State Regional, there every year.
In February 2022, JoJo Siwa brought her D.R.E.A.M. tour to the SNHU Arena. In March 2022, the famous band Journey performed with special guest Toto.
In September 2024, the arena was a location for the Granite State ComicCon. This event celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Images for kids
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USHRA Thunder Nationals pre-show "pit party" in the arena
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Pregame warmup at a Manchester Monarchs AHL game versus the Hartford Wolf Pack
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End zone view of the ice surface at the arena
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A stitched panoramic image of the inside of the arena before a Manchester Monarchs AHL game versus the Providence Bruins
