Tyson Events Center facts for kids
Tyson Events Center in 2011
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| Former names | Gateway Arena (2003-19) |
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| Location | 401 Gordon Drive, Sioux City, Iowa, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 42°29′29″N 96°24′26″W / 42.49146113935062°N 96.40723400273797°W |
| Owner | City of Sioux City |
| Operator | OVG360 |
| Capacity | Concerts: 10,000 Basketball: 6,813, with standing room for at least 9,500 Hockey: 6,731, with standing room for at least 9,500 Indoor football: 6,941, with standing room for at least 9,500 |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 30, 2002 |
| Opened | December 17, 2003 |
| Construction cost | $53 million ($84.3 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Ellerbe Becket FEH Associates |
| Services engineer | KJWW Engineering Consultants, P.C. |
| General contractor | Mortenson/Klinger |
| Tenants | |
| Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) (2003–present) Sioux City Bandits (CIF/NAL) (2004–present) |
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The Tyson Events Center is a large building in Sioux City, Iowa, where many different events happen. It includes the Fleet Farm Arena, which used to be called Gateway Arena. This center was planned in September 2000 and construction started in April 2002. It officially opened its doors in December 2003.
The arena has three levels for people to watch events. There is a special suite level and two general seating areas called the 100 level and 200 level. Up to 10,000 people can fit inside for big events. The City of Sioux City owns the center, and a company called OVG360 manages it.
The Tyson Events Center is home to two sports teams:
- The Sioux City Musketeers, who play ice hockey in the United States Hockey League (USHL).
- The Sioux City Bandits, who play indoor American football in the National Arena League (NAL).
The arena also hosts many college sports tournaments. These include national championships for wrestling, women's volleyball, and women's basketball for the NAIA.
Contents
Building History
In September 2000, leaders in Sioux City decided to build a new arena and event center. It would replace the older Sioux City Municipal Auditorium. The plans grew bigger in December of that year.
In 2001, two companies, IBP, Inc. and its parent company Tyson Foods, bought the rights to name the entire event center. This is why it's called the Tyson Events Center. Another company, Gateway, Inc., bought the naming rights for the arena inside. So, it was known as Gateway Arena for many years.
Construction officially began on April 30, 2002. The Tyson Events Center opened its doors to the public on December 17, 2003.
In 2007, Acer Inc. bought Gateway, but the arena kept the Gateway Arena name until June 2019. Then, on September 30, 2019, a store called Fleet Farm took over the naming rights. The arena has been known as the Fleet Farm Arena ever since.
In 2018, a company called Spectra started managing the center. Later, in November 2021, Spectra joined with Oak View Group to form OVG360. This new company now manages the arena.
Exciting Events Held Here
The Tyson Events Center has hosted many different kinds of events. From sports to concerts, there's always something happening!
Wrestling Shows
The center has been a popular spot for professional wrestling. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has held many shows here. These included live, un-televised events and televised shows like SmackDown and Raw.
For example, a SmackDown show was televised from here on May 17, 2005. Raw programs were also televised on July 10, 2006, February 5, 2007, January 12, 2009, and July 1, 2013. Another wrestling company, TNA Wrestling, also visited on June 4, 2010.
On April 22, 2019, the arena hosted a non-televised WWE Live: Smackdown event. It featured several matches, including WWE Champion Kofi Kingston defending his title. A planned WWE Raw taping for December 2019 was canceled due to scheduling conflicts.
Concerts and Entertainment
Many famous musicians have performed at the Tyson Events Center. Some of these include:
- Aerosmith
- Taylor Swift
- Kenny Chesney
- Cher
- Fleetwood Mac
- KISS
- Nickelback
- Neil Diamond
- Carrie Underwood
- Ozzy Osbourne
- The Offspring
- Brad Paisley
- Miranda Lambert
The venue has also hosted popular comedians. Larry the Cable Guy performed here three times. If you like big trucks, you might have seen the Monster Truck Nationals shows here too!
Other Special Gatherings
Beyond sports and entertainment, the center has hosted important community events. For instance, President George W. Bush gave a speech here during his re-election campaign in 2004.
See also
