Crown Coliseum
The Crown Coliseum[2] (originally the Cumberland County Crown Coliseum) is a multi-purpose arena in Fayetteville, North Carolina that is soon to be closed. The stadium broke ground in 1995[3] and opened in 1997,[4] and is currently home to the Fayetteville Marksmen ice hockey team.
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 Interior of the arena during the departure ceremony for the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team (c. 2009) | |
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| Former names | Cumberland County Crown Coliseum (1997–2014) |
|---|---|
| Address | 1960 Coliseum Drive Fayetteville, North Carolina 28306-3059 |
| Location | Crown Complex |
| Owner | Cumberland County Civic Center Commission |
| Operator | Comcast Spectacor |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 12, 1995 |
| Opened | October 23, 1997 |
| Closed | October 2022 (planned) |
| Construction cost | $55 million ($92.3 million in 2019 dollars[1]) |
| Architect | Odell Associates |
| Structural engineer | Fleming and Associates, PA |
| General contractor | Turner Construction |
| Tenants | |
| Fayetteville Force (CHL) (1997–2001) Fayetteville Patriots (NBDL) (2001–2006) Fayetteville Marksmen (SPHL) (2002–present) Cape Fear Wildcats (af2) (2002–2004) Fayetteville Guard (NIFL/AIFA) (2005–2010) Fayetteville Force (SIFL) (2011) Cape Fear Heroes (AIF/XLIF/SIF/AAL) (2012–2015, 2017–2019) Carolina Predator (AAL) (2021–present) | |
| Website | |
| Venue Website | |
During the early stages of its construction, Fayetteville's Crown Coliseum was mentioned as a possible temporary home for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, but this was blocked by minor-league hockey executive Bill Coffey who had signed an exclusive lease agreement with the arena for the Fayetteville Force of the Central Hockey League.[5]
It was reported in mid-January that TNA Wrestling would be taping its weekly TNA iMPACT! broadcast in the arena on February 24, 2011 — which would be only the second time in its history that the show would be broadcast outside Universal Studio's iMPACT! zone in Orlando, Florida. WWE taped its annual Tribute to the Troops show at the venue on December 11, 2011.
Fayetteville native, rapper J. Cole's Forest Hills Drive: Live and his concert film, Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming was recorded at the arena on August 30, 2015, during his Forest Hills Drive Tour.[6] Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming aired on HBO, January 9, 2016.[7]
The complex also contains a 2,400-seat auditorium known as the Crown Theater.[8]
On January 22, 2020, Cumberland County's commissioner announced that the stadium will close in October 2022 due to the stadium's non-compliance with the ADA.[9]
References
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- Campbell, Sarah (March 27, 2014). "Crown Complex shows off its changes". The Fayetteville Observer. Fayetteville Publishing Company. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
- Moss, Gary (March 23, 1995). "Coliseum Still Lacks 'Crowning' Touch". Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
- "Lights Come On at New Crown Coliseum". WRAL. October 23, 1997. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
- Scott, Jon C. (2006). Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd. p. 103. ISBN 1-894974-21-2.
- Boehrer, Kat (January 27, 2016). "Here's J. Cole's 'Forest Hills Drive Live' Album". Complex. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
- Montes, Patrick (January 10, 2016). "J. Cole's 90-Minute HBO Documentary 'Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming' Is Here". hypebeast. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
- "About the Crown Complex". Crown Complex. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- WRAL (2020-01-22). "Plans to close Fayetteville's Crown Arena and Crown Theater in 2022 :". WRAL.com. Retrieved 2020-01-26.
Media related to Cumberland County Crown Coliseum at Wikimedia Commons
External links
| Preceded by Florence Civic Center |
Home of the Fayetteville Guard 2005 – 2010 |
Succeeded by last arena |