Visions Veterans Memorial Arena facts for kids
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The Arena - Greater Binghamton's
Premier Events Destination |
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 Visions Veterans Memorial Arena
Location in New York
Visions Veterans Memorial Arena
Location in the United States
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| Former names | Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena (1973–2014) Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena (2014–2021) |
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| Location | One Stuart Street Binghamton, New York 13901 |
| Coordinates | 42°5′44″N 75°54′47″W / 42.09556°N 75.91306°W |
| Owner | Broome County |
| Operator | Broome County |
| Capacity | 7,200 (concerts) 4,710 (ice hockey) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 1971 |
| Opened | August 29, 1973 |
| Construction cost | $7.5 million ($49.4 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Elbasani, Logan & Severin |
| Structural engineer | T. Y. Lin & Associates |
| General contractor | E. L. Nezelek |
| Tenants | |
| Broome Dusters (NAHL) (1973–1977) Binghamton Dusters/Whalers/Rangers (AHL) (1977–1997) B.C. Icemen (UHL) (1997–2002) Binghamton Senators (AHL) (2002–2017) Binghamton Devils (AHL) (2017–2020) Binghamton Black Bears (FPHL) (2021–present) |
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The Visions Veterans Memorial Arena is a large building in Binghamton, New York. It can hold up to 7,200 people for concerts and 4,710 for ice hockey games. This arena opened in 1973 and has been a popular spot for entertainment and sports in the Greater Binghamton area ever since. It's currently the home of the Binghamton Black Bears, a professional hockey team.
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Arena History: How It Was Built
In the 1960s, leaders in Binghamton wanted to make the city center better. They planned a big project that included building a cultural complex. This complex was meant to have two main parts: a memorial auditorium for veterans and a performing arts center.
A design contest was held, and a group called Elbasani, Logan & Severin (ELS) won in 1967. Their design placed the arena between State Street and Washington Street. The plan also included a performing arts center by the river.
Building the Arena
Construction for the arena began in 1971 and finished in 1973. It cost about $7.5 million at the time. The arena floor is very large, with 17,000 square feet of space. The first event, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, happened in May 1973, even before the arena was fully finished. The first concert featured the band Chicago with Bruce Springsteen opening, on June 13, 1973.
The second part of the original plan, the performing arts center, was never built because of money issues. Instead, an existing theater, the Capri Theatre, was updated and became the Broome County Forum.
Name Changes Over Time
The arena has had a few different names. It was first known as the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. From 2014 to 2020, it was called the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. On January 1, 2021, it officially became the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena. This change happened because Visions Federal Credit Union took over the naming rights.
Sports and Hockey at the Arena
The arena has a long and exciting history with hockey. The Broome Dusters were the first full-time hockey team to play there, starting in 1973. Fans loved the Dusters so much that Binghamton was even called "Hockey Town USA" by a sports magazine!
Professional Hockey Teams
Over the years, many different hockey teams have called the arena home:
- The Dusters later became the Binghamton Dusters in the American Hockey League (AHL).
- Other AHL teams like the Whalers and Rangers played here until 1997.
- The BC Icemen from the United Hockey League played for five seasons.
- The AHL returned in 2002 with the Binghamton Senators. They even hosted the AHL All-Star Classic in 2008, which was shown live on TV.
- From 2017 to 2020, the arena hosted the Binghamton Devils.
- Since 2021, the arena has been home to the Binghamton Black Bears of the Federal Prospects Hockey League.
Other Sports Events
Besides hockey, the arena has hosted other cool sports events. Professional basketball teams like the New Jersey Nets and NHL teams like the Hartford Whalers have played exhibition games here.
Every December, the arena hosts the Stop-DWI Holiday Classic, a big high school basketball tournament. It used to be one of the top high school tournaments in the country. In 2016, the arena also hosted the New York State boys' basketball championship.
Exciting Events and Concerts
The Visions Veterans Memorial Arena has seen many famous performers and events over the years. It's a place where people come together for music, shows, and more.
Music Superstars
Lots of legendary musicians have performed here, including:
- AC/DC
- Bob Dylan
- Rod Stewart
- Bon Jovi
- The Eagles
- Aerosmith
- Fleetwood Mac
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- Rush
- Metallica
- Van Halen
- Elton John
- Cher
- Dolly Parton
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Grateful Dead
- Phish
- Green Day
- Carrie Underwood
Memorable Performances
- Elvis Presley performed two sold-out concerts in May 1977, shortly before he passed away.
- The Grateful Dead played at the arena multiple times, and one of their 1977 concerts was even released as a live album.
- The band Kiss performed here in 1984.
- A Phish concert from 1995 was also released as a live album.
Wrestling and Other Shows
The arena has also been a popular spot for professional wrestling. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) brought their "RAW" show to the arena several times. A famous WWE Hall of Famer, Beth Phoenix, even attended her first wrestling event here as a child! Other wrestling shows like Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling have also taped episodes at the arena.
You can also find trade shows, performances by the Binghamton Philharmonic, and yearly visits from the Harlem Globetrotters and the Circus at the arena.
A Power Outage Story
In 2012, during a high school basketball championship game, the arena lost power because of a problem with a transformer outside. Fans had to wait for two hours, but the power eventually came back on, and the games were played!
Binghamton Hockey Hall of Fame
Inside the arena, there's a special place called the Binghamton Hockey Hall of Fame. It has plaques honoring many important players and people who have contributed to hockey in Binghamton over the years. It's a way to remember the great history of hockey in the city.
