Arena
Five Flags Arena was conceived as part of a project to rehabilitate the Five Flags Theater. Construction began in 1976, and the facility opened in 1979. The first event was a concert, by Bob Hope.
The arena can seat up to 5,200 for basketball, although in its primary use, ice hockey, actual seating capacity is only about 2,500.
It features one side of permanent seating; the other three sides are bleachers, some for Loras College basketball, and most of Dubuque's major concerts.
High school graduation ceremonies for Hempstead High School and Senior High School have been held at the center.
The Five Flags Center was formerly the main convention center in Dubuque, but construction of the Grand River Event Center in 2003, moved many events away from Five Flags.
It was also the former home of the Dubuque Fighting Saints (1980-2001) of the United States Hockey League from 1980-2001 and the home of the Dubuque Thunderbirds hockey team of the Central States Hockey League from 2001-2010.
Dubuque opened a new Ice Arena, the Mystique Ice Center, which opened in Fall of 2010, and now hosts the expansion Dubuque Fighting Saints.
SMG took over operations of the arena in 2004, which were formerly handled by the City of Dubuque.
In 2005, the arena was closed during the summer for concession, entrance, and concourse renovation.
Read more about this topic: Five Flags Center
Famous quotes containing the word arena:
“This is a Senate of equals, of men of individual honor and personal character, and of absolute independence. We know no masters, we acknowledge no dictators. This is a hall for mutual consultation and discussion; not an arena for the exhibition of champions.”
—Daniel Webster (1782–1852)
“O the joy of the strong-brawn’d fighter, towering in the arena in perfect condition, conscious of power, thirsting to meet his opponent.”
—Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
“[I]t forged ahead to become a full-fledged metropolis, with 143 faro games, 30 saloons, 4 banks, 27 produce stores, 3 express offices—and an arena for bull-and-bear fights, which, described by Horace Greeley in the New York Tribune, is said to have given Wall Street its best-known phrases.”
—For the State of California, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)