Grossinger Motors Arena

Grossinger Motors Arena

The building nearing completion in 2005.
Former names U.S. Cellular Coliseum (2006–2016)
The Coliseum (2016–2017)
Location 101 South Madison Street
Bloomington, Illinois 60701
Coordinates 40°28′41″N 88°59′47″W / 40.47806°N 88.99639°W / 40.47806; -88.99639Coordinates: 40°28′41″N 88°59′47″W / 40.47806°N 88.99639°W / 40.47806; -88.99639
Owner City of Bloomington
Operator VenuWorks
Capacity Hockey & Indoor Football: 7,000
Concerts : 8,000
Surface Multi-surface
Construction
Broke ground August 19, 2004[1]
Opened April 1, 2006
Construction cost $37 million
($44.9 million in 2017 dollars[2] )
Architect BBB Architects, Ltd.[3]
Structural engineer Halcrow Yolles[4]
Services engineer The Mitchell Partnership Inc.[5]
General contractor Johnston Contractors Inc.[6]
Tenants
Bloomington Edge (IFL) (2006–present)
Bloomington PrairieThunder (UHL/IHL/CHL) (2006–2011)
Bloomington Blaze (CHL) (2011–2013)
Bloomington Thunder (SPHL) (2013–2014)
Central Illinois Flying Aces (USHL) (2014–present)
Illinois State Redbirds (ACHA)

Grossinger Motors Arena[7] (formerly known as U.S. Cellular Coliseum and simply the Coliseum[7]) is an arena in downtown Bloomington, Illinois, that opened to the public on April 1, 2006. It is on the southwest corner of Madison Street (US-51) and Front Street. It hosts the Bloomington Edge of the Indoor Football League, the Central Illinois Flying Aces of the United States Hockey League and the Illinois State University Redbirds hockey club.

The arena's seating capacity is approximately 7,000 for hockey and indoor football games and 8,000 for concerts. The arena also has a basketball floor. The arena is connected to the Pepsi Ice Center which is located in the same building, and it has no rights to the Pepsi Ice Center.

The arena annually hosts local high school graduation ceremonies (Bloomington High School, Normal Community High School and Normal West High School) as well as the local community college's graduation ceremony (Heartland Community College).

Features

Attached to the arena is the Pepsi Ice Center,[8] which is a public ice rink run by Bloomington Parks & Rec. The center features open skating, as well as lessons and hockey leagues. It is also the home of the State Farm Holiday Classic, one of the largest, coed high school holiday basketball tournaments in the nation, featuring 64 varsity teams participating throughout Bloomington-Normal.

The arena has 800 club seats, 24 luxury suites, and 2 party suites.[3]

Controversy

The arena has been a burden on city finances due to operational losses from lack of sponsorships and booking. There have been criminal proceedings over allegations of fraud, embezzlement and theft by former employees of current and past management firms. [9]

References

  1. ↑ Guetersloh, M.K. (August 19, 2004). "Ground Broken for Arena. Construction Expected to Take 18 Months". The Pantagraph. Bloomington. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  2. ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Outfield Seats Will Be Ready Ahead Of Schedule For Cardinals
  4. ↑ "Ferdo Simov". Entuitive, Ltd. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  5. ↑ US Cellular Coliseum - The Mitchell Partnership
  6. ↑ Johnson Contractors - US Cellular Coliseum
  7. 1 2 Nagle, Maria (June 22, 2017). "Name Change: Coliseum now called Grossinger Motors Arena". The Pantagraph. Bloomington. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  8. ↑ Pepsi Ice Center
  9. ↑
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