The Hippodrome facts for kids

The Hippodrome is a cool place in Waterloo, Iowa. It's a big building with 5,155 seats where many different events happen. It was first built way back in 1919! Later, in 1936, it got a big update. They made the roof higher, dug out the floor, and added more seats.

For a long time, starting around 1965, it was called the McElroy Auditorium. This was to honor R. J. McElroy, a kind person from Waterloo. But in 2018, it went back to its original name, The Hippodrome.

Inside The Hippodrome Arena

This auditorium has been open since 1919. That makes it one of the oldest arenas in the whole country! It has 234 special box seats, which are like private viewing areas. There's also a fancy lobby that's about 4,000 square feet (370 square meters).

When they put chairs on the main floor, the arena can hold up to 7,000 people for concerts. It has four big snack areas and a restaurant with 150 seats. For concerts, they even add extra drink stations. One cool feature is an old milk truck that was turned into a "hot rod" style beer truck! The venue also has six modern dressing rooms and five ticket windows.

What Happens at The Hippodrome?

The Hippodrome is part of the National Cattle Congress complex. It's a very busy place! People use it for many different things. You can find trade shows, concerts, big meetings, and even rodeos here. It also hosts livestock shows and various sporting events.

Sports Teams and Games

The Hippodrome has a rich history with sports. It was home to the Waterloo Hawks basketball team from 1948 to 1951. The Hawks played in the NBL and even the NBA! They are the only major league team from Iowa.

From 1962 to 1994, the arena hosted the Waterloo Black Hawks hockey team. They played in the USHL. Another hockey team, the Iowa Stars, played here during the 1969–70 season. Today, The Hippodrome is home to the Iowa Woo team, which started playing in The Arena League in 2024.

Concerts and Music Shows

The way The Hippodrome was built makes it great for music. The roof design and materials help the sound travel well. Many famous musicians and bands have performed here over the years.

Some of the big names include the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, KISS, Aerosmith, The Beach Boys, Rush, Garth Brooks, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Destiny's Child, Jason Aldean, Nelly, and Gym Class Heroes. It's been a stage for many different types of music!

Why the Name Change?

You might hear people sometimes call The Hippodrome by its old name, McElroy Auditorium. This can be a bit confusing! The mix-up started because an NBA book from the 1960s accidentally listed the arena's name as McElroy Auditorium. But the arena was actually called The Hippodrome back then. It officially changed back to The Hippodrome in 2018.

Images for kids

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  A view from the back of the auditorium looking towards the stage.

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  A view from the stage looking towards the back of the arena.