XL Center facts for kids
XL Center Logo
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| Former names | Hartford Civic Center (1975–2007) |
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| Address | 1 Civic Center Plaza |
| Location | Hartford, Connecticut |
| Coordinates | 41°46′06″N 72°40′37″W / 41.76833°N 72.67694°W |
| Owner | City of Hartford |
| Operator | Global Spectrum |
| Capacity | Concerts: 16,500 Basketball: 15,600 Ice hockey: 14,750 (9,801 with curtain system) |
| Surface | 200 ft × 85 ft (61 m × 26 m) (hockey) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 2, 1971 |
| Opened | January 9, 1975 |
| Closed | 1978–1980 (roof collapse, renovations) |
| Construction cost | $30 million ($163 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Kling & Associates Danos and Associates |
| Project manager | Gilbane Building Company |
| Structural engineer | Fraoli, Blum, and Yesselman, Engineers |
| General contractor | William L. Crow Construction Company |
| Tenants | |
| Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) (1997–present) UConn Huskies (NCAA) Men's basketball (1975–present) Women's basketball (1975–present) Men's ice hockey (2013–present) New England / Hartford Whalers (WHA / NHL) (1975–1997) Boston Celtics (NBA) (1975–1995) Hartford Hellions (MISL) (1980–1981) Connecticut Coyotes (AFL) (1995–1996) New England Blizzard (ABL) (1996–1998) Connecticut Pride (CBA) (1993–2000) New England Sea Wolves (AFL) (1999–2000) |
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| Website | |
| Official Website: http://www.xlcenter.com/ | |
The XL Center is a large building in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. It has an arena for sports and concerts, and a convention center for big meetings. It used to be called the Hartford Civic Center.
The City of Hartford owns the XL Center. It is managed by the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) and operated by Spectra. In 2007, the building was renamed the XL Center after the XL Group insurance company bought the naming rights. It's one of the biggest college basketball arenas in the United States. The XL Center first opened in 1974. It has two main parts: the Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the Exhibition Center.
In 2013, a company called Global Spectrum took over running the XL Center. They also manage another big sports venue nearby, Rentschler Field. Another company, Ovations Food Services, handles all the food and drinks at the center.
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Sports Teams at the XL Center
The XL Center is a busy place for sports! It's the main home for the Hartford Wolf Pack hockey team, which plays in the American Hockey League (AHL).
It's also a part-time home for the University of Connecticut (UConn) basketball teams. Both the men's and women's UConn Huskies basketball teams play many of their important games here. The UConn Huskies men's ice hockey team also uses the XL Center as its main home.
Past Teams and Events
Many teams have played at the XL Center over the years. The Hartford Whalers hockey team played here from 1975 to 1997. They were part of both the World Hockey Association (WHA) and the National Hockey League (NHL).
The arena also hosted occasional games for the Boston Celtics basketball team from 1975 to 1995. Other teams like the Hartford Hellions (indoor soccer) and the New England Blizzard (basketball) also called the XL Center home.
The arena can hold many people for different events:
- About 15,635 for ice hockey games.
- About 16,294 for basketball games.
- Up to 16,606 for concerts.
It also has luxury suites and a special club area. The main floor is very large, about 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2), which means it can be used for trade shows, conventions, circuses, and other big events. Many local colleges also hold their graduation ceremonies here each year.
Roof Collapse and Rebuilding
When the XL Center first opened in 1975, it was called the Hartford Civic Center. On January 18, 1978, the roof of the Civic Center collapsed. Luckily, no one was hurt because the building was empty at the time.
Investigations later found that there were problems with the original design and how the roof was built. The roof had started to show signs of trouble even during construction. After the collapse, the building was heavily repaired and reopened on January 17, 1980.
The Hartford Whalers returned to play here after the repairs. However, in 1997, the team moved to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. The New York Rangers then brought their farm team, the Hartford Wolf Pack, to play in Hartford starting in 1997.
Modern Upgrades
The XL Center has been updated many times. In 2010, it got a new scoreboard with big screens and a modern sound system.
More improvements happened in 2014. The state of Connecticut spent $35 million to upgrade the arena. These changes included:
- Better mechanical systems.
- New locker rooms.
- Improvements to the concourse (the area where fans walk around).
- A new high-definition video board.
- New bar areas and luxury seating.
These upgrades made the XL Center even better for fans and teams.
Exciting Events at the XL Center
The XL Center has hosted many famous events over the years, including:
- College basketball tournaments like the ECAC New England Region Tournament in 1977 and Big East Conference tournaments.
- Concerts by famous bands, such as the Grateful Dead in 1983. Part of their concert was even released as a live album!
- Professional bull riding events with the PBR (Professional Bull Riders).
- Gymnastics shows like the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions.
- Many professional wrestling events, including big shows like Survivor Series (1990), WrestleMania XI, and Money in the Bank (2019).
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UConn Huskies Games
The XL Center is like a second home for the University of Connecticut's men's and women's basketball teams. Since the 2014–15 season, the UConn men's ice hockey team also plays many of its games at the XL Center. This was part of the agreement when they joined the Hockey East conference.
UConn is also planning to build a new, smaller arena on its campus for hockey. However, the men's hockey team will still play some of its games at the XL Center in Hartford.
UConn Hockey Attendance Records
| Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
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| February 9, 2019 | Merrimack | W 5-0 | 8,211 |
| November 15, 2014 | #3 Boston College | W 1-0 | 8,089 |
| November 22, 2014 | #3 Boston University | L 2-5 | 7,712 |
| February 16, 2018 | #20 Boston University | W 5-4OT | 7,372 |
Exhibition Center
The Exhibition Center is another important part of the XL Center complex. It has a large exhibit hall that is about 68,855-square-foot (6,397 m2). There's also an assembly hall that can be split into two meeting rooms. Plus, there are seven other meeting rooms and two large lobbies.
This part of the XL Center is used for many different events. These include trade shows, big conventions, banquets, and other meetings.
The shopping mall that used to be next to the XL Center was taken down in 2004. In its place, new shops were built at street level. A tall, 36-story apartment building called Hartford 21 was also built. It opened in 2006 and is the tallest apartment building between New York City and Boston.
Images for kids
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XL Center.jpg
The XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
See also
In Spanish: XL Center para niños
