The Dome Center facts for kids
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The Dome Arena
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 Fair and Expo Center
Location in New York
Fair and Expo Center
Location in the United States
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| Former names | Dome Arena The Dome Center |
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| Location | Henrietta, New York |
| Coordinates | 43°03′57″N 77°36′44″W / 43.0659°N 77.6123°W |
| Owner | Monroe County Fair and Recreation Association |
| Capacity | 4,700 (Dome) 3,000 (Minett Hall) |
| Acreage | 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) (Dome) 23,000-square-foot (2,100 m2) (Minett Hall) |
| Surface | Concrete |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1972 |
| Tenants | |
| Rochester Zeniths (CBA) (1978–1983) Roc City Roller Derby (WFTDA) (2009–present) Rochester Raiders (IFL) (2010) Rochester Lancers (M2) (2018–present) |
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The Dome Center is a large complex in Henrietta, New York. It's a place where many different events happen, like fairs and big meetings called conventions. Henrietta is a town right outside the city of Rochester.
This center was once part of a much larger area, about 60 acres in size. From 1947 to 2013, this land was home to the yearly Monroe County Fair.
Contents
Exploring the Dome Center
The Dome Arena: A Big Indoor Space
The Dome Arena is a huge indoor building that can hold many people. It has 2,164 permanent seats and a total of 4,086 seats when extra ones are added. There's also a large area, about 25,000 square feet, for exhibits.
The Dome Arena was built in 1972. It was special because it had one of the biggest self-supporting wooden roofs in the world at that time! Over the years, it has hosted many exciting events.
Sports and Shows at The Dome
The Dome Arena has been home to several sports teams. The Rochester Zeniths basketball team played here from 1978 to 1983. The Rochester Raiders indoor football team also played here in 2010. Since 2009, the Roc City Roller Derby team has used the arena for their games.
Besides sports, the Dome Arena is a popular spot for concerts, trade shows, and other big gatherings.
Music History at The Dome
On May 10, 1977, a famous blues rock band called Foghat recorded their album Foghat Live right here at the Dome Arena. This album became very popular, selling millions of copies!
Basketball and a Green Court
One unique thing about the Dome Arena was its basketball court. It had an experimental green court made of textile and rubber. People called it "The Rug." At the time, some thought it would be the future of basketball courts, like AstroTurf for sports fields. However, this type of court never became popular in the United States, even though it was used more in Europe.
The Dome Arena also hosted one of the most unusual basketball games ever. In January 1979, the Rochester Zeniths were playing in the league's All-Star game. During halftime, a big snowstorm caused a power outage! The game had to stop and finish the next night. Instead of just playing the remaining two quarters, the league decided to play four more quarters for the new fans. This meant the game had six 12-minute quarters, which is very rare in professional basketball! The Zeniths won that long game, 182–168.
The Zeniths won two championships in 1978–79 and 1980–81 while playing at the Dome Arena.
Pickleball and Other Activities
In November 2023, the Dome Arena changed its setup to focus on pickleball. It created 12 special courts for this fun sport, which is a mix of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. The ROC Dome Pickleball Club offered lessons and hosted tournaments. However, the pickleball club stopped operating on July 24, 2024.
After the pickleball club closed, the Dome Arena was leased to a youth lacrosse organization. This means young lacrosse players now use the space.
Minett Hall: Another Great Space
Minett Hall is another important building at the Dome Center. It's an exhibit hall with about 23,000 square feet of space. It can hold up to 3,000 people. Minett Hall is used for many different events, including banquets, trade shows, and conventions.
The History of the Monroe County Fair
The Monroe County Fair has a long history, starting in 1823. It moved to this location in Henrietta in 1947. The Monroe County Fair and Recreation Association managed the arena and fairgrounds until 2015. That year, the land was sold to a developer.
The fair itself moved to Northampton Park in 2013. Four years later, fair officials signed a 10-year lease with the Town of Rush for a new location.
Stock Car Racing History
From 1950 to 1958, a special dirt track on the fairgrounds hosted exciting Grand National Series races. Famous racing pioneers like Tim Flock, Lee Petty, and Herb Thomas won races here.
The NASCAR Sportsman Division also raced weekly in the 1950s and early 1960s. Later, they only raced during the annual fair. The very last car race at this venue was in 1981 during the fair.
Images for kids
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Front view of the Dome Arena
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Rear view of the Dome Arena
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Inside the Dome Arena
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Livestock pen at the Dome Arena
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Southwest view of Minett Hall
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Inside Minett Hall
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Festival site at the Dome Center
