Mid-Hudson Civic Center
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| Address | 14 Civic Center Plaza |
|---|---|
| Location | Poughkeepsie, New York |
| Capacity | 3,050 |
| Opened | 1970s |
| Tenants | |
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Poughkeepsie Panthers (NEHL) (2003–2004) Hudson Valley Bears (EPHL) (2008-2009) | |
Mid-Hudson Civic Center is a venue located in Poughkeepsie, New York, consisting of Mair Hall (a concert and convention hall) and the McCann Ice Arena (an ice skating venue). It was built in the 1970s as part of the general attempt at rehabilitation of the central district of the City of Poughkeepsie. It is located at 14 Civic Center Plaza, on a segment of what was formerly known as Market Street near the former Main Mall. The Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel, at 40 Civic Center Plaza, is adjacent on the same block and was originally designed to be constructed concurrently with the civic center and financed by Hilton, but the hotel construction was abandoned after the foundation was laid. Four years after the completion of the Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Radisson Hotels bought the hotel property and after a re-design of the original hotel plans, construction of the hotel resumed.
Mid-Hudson Civic Center, a private, not-for-profit community organization dedicated to providing cultural, recreational and educational opportunities to the Hudson Valley is a dual venue comprising Mair Hall and McCann Ice Arena. Mair Hall is a 15,475-square-foot (1,437.7 m2) space with the capacity to host 3,050 seated spectators and large expos and trade shows.[1]
McCann Ice Arena
The McCann Ice Arena serves youth organizations, leagues and individuals for both recreational and competitive figure skating and ice hockey and offers open ice slots, group and private lessons, public skating sessions and private parties. McCann Ice Arena had briefly been the home of the Hudson Valley Bears and the Poughkeepsie Panthers, two semi- professional hockey teams in the 1980s.
Mair Hall
Mair Hall opened with a sold out performance by Pete Seeger.
ECW
May 16, 1999 the Mid Hudson Civic Center was where ECW hosted their Hardcore Heaven pay-per-view event.
WWF/WWE
Between July 1984 and August 1986 the Mid Hudson Civic Center was where the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) taped their internationally televised WWF Championship Wrestling. Notable wrestlers who wrestled in the building during this time include then WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, André the Giant, Bret Hart, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, King Kong Bundy, Big John Studd, Ken Patera, Tito Santana, Don Muraco, The Iron Sheik, "Mr Wonderful" Paul Orndorff and Rowdy Roddy Piper (who also hosted his "Piper's Pit" segment on the show). Television commentators for the show at the Civic Center were WWF owner Vince McMahon (who at the time was only known outside of wrestling circles as an announcer and not the company owner) and "Professional wrestlings only living legend" Bruno Sammartino, with Jesse "The Body" Ventura occasionally joining the duo or filling in for Sammartino (Ventura also wrestled on the show occasionally as Randy Savage's tag-team partner, usually taunting the semi-retired Sammartino and challenging him to get in the ring).
The Mid-Hudson Civic Center was also where "Macho Man" Randy Savage (who had been billed as "the top free agent in pro wrestling") first introduced Miss Elizabeth (his then real life wife) as his chosen manager on an episode of Championship Wrestling on August 24, 1985 (taped July 30). Heel managers Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Mr. Fuji, "Classy" Freddie Blassie, Luscious Johnny V, and "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart had been "bidding" for his services in the previous months and had gathered in the ring to hear who Savage had chosen.
The Center was also where Heenan Family members Big John Studd and Ken Patera faced André the Giant and S.D. Jones in a tag team match. After knocking Jones out of the ring, Studd and Patera then double teamed André, knocking him unconscious. Bobby Heenan then pulled a pair of scissors from his pocket which Studd used to cut The Giants long hair, with Vince McMahon claiming in commentary that they were raping André of his dignity. While it shocked the audience, in reality André had agreed to the haircut prior to the match as part of his ongoing feud with the 6'10" (208 cm) Studd over who was the true giant in professional wrestling.
The only title change at the Civic Center during WWF Championship Wrestling tapings was on June 17, 1985 when The U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) defeated "The Foreign Legion" (The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff), regaining the WWF Tag Team Championship they had lost to the pair at Wrestlemania on March 31, 1985. The Mid Hudson Civic Center has also host a handful of episodes of WWF Monday Night Raw between 1993 and 1995.
TNA One Night Only
December 2013 the Mid Hudson Civic Center was where TNA taped their One Night Only Pay Per View.
Notable performances
Anthrax, Exodus and Helloween performed at the venue on May 12, 1989. It was the last show of the Headbangers Ball Tour.[2][3]
System of a Down, Mr. Bungle, Incubus (band), and Puya (band) performed on February 18, 2000 as part of the SnoCore Tour.[4] During a lull between sets, members of the Ministry of Justice broke into an impromptu wrestling match in which Judge Jones delivered a devastating powerbomb to Cellmate #666. Later that month, while MOJ were waiting in line to enter the Chance for a Fear Factory concert, two young men who had been in attendance at the SnoCore event approached them. The youths described how it was the best moment of the entire show.
References
- ↑ http://www.midhudsonciviccenter.org/about-mhcc.php
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
- ↑ http://www.metallipromo.com/ex.html
- ↑ http://www.mtv.com/news/619942/system-of-a-down-to-lead-sno-core/
External links
Coordinates: 41°42′18″N 73°55′46″W / 41.704988°N 73.929557°W