Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena (popularly known as Spokane Arena) a multi-purpose arena located in Spokane, Washington, USA. The building is home to the Spokane Chiefs hockey team of the WHL, and the Spokane Shock arena football team of the af2.

With an aging Spokane Coliseum, along with a need for a larger facility more than twice the coliseum’s capacity, the Spokane City Council and Board of Spokane County Commissioners formed the Spokane Public Facilities District (SPFD) to acquire, construct, own and operate sports and entertainment facilities with contiguous parking facilities. In 1990, the SPFD board members unanimously agreed on the following recommendations made by an economic feasibility/market study. The recommendations were:

* To build an arena opposed to a domed stadium
* An arena that could seat 12,000 to 14,000 with expansion capabilities
* To build the new arena on city-owned land located adjacent to the old coliseum with on-site parking for 2,000 automobiles

In the fall of that year, two ballot measures were put out to voters, and passed:

* One, to publicly finance the construction of the arena through a property tax bond issue worth US$38 million
* Two, a measure to validate the SPFD. Validation was important, because it would allow the district to implement a 2% hotel tax to further fund construction

In the fall of 1991, another funding measure was put out to voters and was passed. It involved a 0.1% raise in the sales tax. The passage of all three measures completed the US$44.8 million financining needed to build the arena.

The Spokane Arena broke ground on March 5, 1993, and opened in September 1995.

Facts:

The Spokane Arena has a capacity for:

* 12,638 for end-stage concerts
* 12,494 for center-stage shows
* 12,210 for basketball
* 10,700 for ice hockey
* 10,471 for arena football
* 6,951 for half-house shows

The arena has a state-of-the-art audio and video system. It consists of a 15-foot (4.6 m) x 20-foot Viacom Sports 12 mm LED display, which is capable of being used as two separate units. The video board has exceptional color reproduction and the best off-angle viewing available for any LED format. It can even be moved forward approximately 100 feet (30 m) and down to approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) off the arena floor. The arena also features a 350° color LED ribbon board, which is mounted on the fascia of the Spokane Arena bowl. It is capable of displaying text messages, animations, logos, scores and statistics.

Powered by Crown Amplifiers, the audio system is driven by Community RS880 speakers in the Arena bowl, Altec Lansing satellite speakers for the upper seating areas, and Bose speakers serve the concourse, dressing rooms, and backstage hallways.

Large public areas are one of the greater features of the Spokane Arena. The arena floor is 32,000 square feet (3,000 m2), and the 14-foot (4.3 m) high concourse is a spacious 35,000 square feet (3,300 m2). 16 luxury suites containing a total of 146 seats. In addition, there are six meeting rooms located at the Spokane Arena, totalling 10,050 square feet (934 m2) of meeting space.

On the Events Level, there are five truck docks with 8-foot (2.4 m) x 10-foot loading doors, one 8-foot (2.4 m) x 10-foot drive-in door, and one 20-foot (6.1 m) x 24-foot drive-in loading door, allowing large shows to load and unload eight trucks simultaneously. Trucks can load and unload unobstructed, directly into the marshalling area at the arena floor’s west end. Backstage are three star dressing rooms, two promoter offices (located in the marshalling area), and seven team dressing rooms, as well as a dressing room for officials.

Future:

Incorporated into its original design was an area designated for future expansion of the arena. Expansion of the upper bowl would raise the seating capacity of the upper bowl to about 14,000. There are currently no plans to expand the Spokane Arena because there is no current need to do so. Expansion would likely occur only if the city of Spokane was to land a professional sports team or major event.

(source .. wikipedia) reproduced under GFDL

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena wikipedia entry
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena official website
Western Hockey League

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

The Moose Jaw Civic Centre is a 3,146-seat multi-purpose arena located in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is home to the Moose Jaw Warriors junior ice hockey team.

Designed by Saskatchewan architect Joseph Pettick and Vancouver structural engineer J.L. Miller, the Civic Centre won the Massey Medal for architecture, a precursor to Canada’s Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. The innovative cable structure roof that gives the building its unique shape, was an ingenious and cost effective solution that allowed such a large building to be constructed on a modest budget, while maintaining an unobstucted view of the arena surface from all seats. At the time it was built it was the largest cable structure in Canada. It is sometimes called “The Crushed Can” because of its unusual shape.

The building was officially opened as The Moose Jaw Community Centre on September 19th, 1959, with a gala event hosted by Saskatchewan Premier Tommy Douglas, and featuring a performance by Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars.

The impetus for the building was a fire that destroyed the old arena rink on Ross Street in the fall of 1955. City Council then appointed a group of citizens to oversee plans for a new building. From the opening night program: “The project is the largest of its type undertaken in the City. Its history is one of courage, energy and enthusiasm undampened by adversity.”

After initial tenders in the range of one million dollars, the length of building was shortened, and the final cost was a mere $525,000.00. The building opened on budget and debt free. Current replacement cost of the building would be in the tens of millions of dollars. Moose Jaw City Council is currently debating building a new arena. Under the proposed plans, renovation or demolition of the Civic Centre is a possibility.

A Referendum in late 2006 gave a strong majority of Moose Jaw voters committed to seeing a new Multiplex based on a report prepared for the City by Nustadia Recreation Inc. dated November 2005 (Hockey and Curling) built at a total cost of 36 million dollars with the city of Moose Jaw contributing 15 million dollars of its own, contingent on federal and provincial government funding, and private fundraising. Although plans to add a running track and soccer pitch have been added, results of referendums are binding on City Council for a period of three years. The plans on which the Referendum was based does not include either a running track or soccer field. $5 million of the $15 million City contribution was to match dollar for dollar funds raised privately, to a $5 million maximum. The group that was responsible for raising the $5 million that the City was to match has ceased fundraising after reaching less than $60,000.

As of November 2007 no final decision has been reached as city council continues to debate what to do with escalating construction estimates, though a committee has been set up by Council to make recommendations. The locations for building that were being considered are a downtown location, the civic Centre site, and a Thatcher Drive East location near the Trans-Canada highway. Currently environmental assesments of the various sites are being undertaken due in 2008. The Prospera Centre in Chilliwack, British Columbia, built in 2003/2004 is being considered as a model design for the Moose Jaw Multiplex. The city plans to build the new hockey arena and curling rink downtown — and it will cost the city $34.5 million. A court case to try and stop the project going forward was thrown out in August 2008 and the city has hired a manager to start the construction process.

(source .. wikipedia) reproduced under GFDL

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

Moose Jaw Civic Centre wikipedia entry
Western Hockey League

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

The ENMAX Centre, formerly known as the Canada Games Sportsplex, is a 5,479-seat multi-purpose arena in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. It was built to host the 1975 Canada Games and is home to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, a WHL franchise .

The facility has hosted concerts (including Nickelback, Billy Talent, Bryan Adams, The Tragically Hip, Mötley Crüe, Barenaked Ladies, Snoop Dogg, and Our Lady Peace), three-ring circuses, multicultural events, national curling championships, basketball events, banquets, and skating events. It features a full-size ice rink, a running track, racquetball courts, and squash courts. An outdoor sports field with capacity for 2,000 people is adjacent to the centre.

In 1997, the 58,000 square foot Community Savings Place (formerly the Lethbridge Soccer Centre) was built directly south.

(source .. wikipedia) reproduced under GFDL

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

ENMAX Centre wikipedia entry
ENMAX Centre official website
Western Hockey League

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

Credit Union Centre, formerly known as Saskatchewan Place or SaskPlace, is an arena located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Situated near the city’s northern entrance, the facility opened in February, 1988 with a seating capacity of around 7,800. It was expanded to 11,330 for the World Junior Hockey Championships in 1991. It currently can seat around 11,330 for hockey games and 13,000 for concerts. It is the home venue of the Saskatoon Blades hockey team.

It has free parking on site with parking space for 4,000 cars on its property. For most publicly attended events, transit service is offered from downtown. For high attendance events extra transit links are offered from shopping centres and other locations.

The Credit Union Centre has hosted performances by many leading acts and has been the site of numerous national and international events. In 2005, it was the site of the main concert celebrating Saskatchewan’s 100th anniversary as a province of Canada. The performance was attended by Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada and the Duke of Edinburgh.

In September 2008, it was announced that 2,981 seats would be added to the open west-end of the stadium, bringing the total capacity to 14,311. As well, 1,000 temporary seats will be added for the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships.

There are 2,981 seats being added to the upper deck at the west end of the arena. The capacity of the arena will place maximum attendance at more than 15,000. The 2010 World Junior hockey championships will be held here, as well as numerous concerts. The cost of the expansion is pegged at C$6.7 M. C$2 M will be requested in a loan from the city of Saskatoon and C$3 M is to be finalized from a provincial grant. Hockey Canada may also contribute about C$500,000. The expansion will also include extra washrooms and concessions.

(source .. wikipedia) reproduced under GFDL

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

Credit Union Centre wikipedia entry
Credit Union Centre official website
Western Hockey League

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

Rye House Stadium is a greyhound racing and speedway venue in Rye House near Hoddesdon,Hertfordshire. It is situated adjacent to the River Lea Navigation.

The stadium dates back to the 1930’s has hosted greyhound racing, speedway and Stock car racing. The stadium has recently been upgraded by the owner, speedway promoter Len Silver. Next to the stadium is Rye House Kart Circuit which was built on a former site of the speedway track.

The stadium is the home of the Rye House Rockets who currently compete in the British Premier League. The Rye House Cobras are also based here and compete in the Conference League.

Greyhound stats

* Circumference: 420 metres
* Distances raced: 265,445,485,630,685,865,905 metres.
* Run to first bend: 80 m (4 bends),40m (6 bends)
* Hare type: Swaffham McGee

(source .. wikipedia) reproduced under GFDL

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

wikipedia entry

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium is a dog racing track located in Tooting in southwest London, England. It also hosts speedway, stock car and other racing events.

It is a greyhound racing stadium for the purposes of entertainment, usually including gambling on the outcome of a race. It is arguably the most famous greyhound racing stadium in the UK along with Walthamstow and it annually hosts the English Greyhound Derby.

The facilities include a glass fronted grandstand seating 8,000, and several bars and catering facilities including a waiter-service restaurant. The stadium is surrounded by a large open-air car park. The local footbal team AFC Wimbledon has mooted a move to the stadium, currently however any pitch would be of inadequate size and would impinge upon the existing dog track, so any move would necessitate costly re-building.

Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium is currently owned by the Greyhound Racing Association.

The track also hosts Banger Racing events promoted by Spedeworth International. The Unlimited Banger World Final used to take place at Wimbledon until it moved to Ipswich in 2008.

Speedway at Wimbledon Stadium

Speedway arrived at Wimbledon in the 1928 pioneer season and a team was entered in the league competitions from 1929 to 1939. The team was re-formed after the war and the Dons raced in the top flight National League Division One 1946 to 1964. The Dons were multiple winners of the league in the 1950s. The Dons were founder members of the British League in 1965. Details of the speedway activity at Wimbledon are being made available on www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk Until 2005, the stadium was also home for over 50 years to the now defunct Wimbledon Dons speedway team and was famous for hosting the Internationale meeting every season. The team were disbanded following a dispute between the team’s promoters and the owners of the stadium over a large rent increase.

(source .. wikipedia) reproduced under GFDL

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

Wimbledon Stadium website
wikipedia entry

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

With a strong on-course betting market, tote betting and intertrack betting available, Henlow is a big, safe, galloping track with a good run to the finishing line. Henlow opened as a straights racing track in 1923, circuit racing began on the same site in 1927. NGRC rules racing has been running in Henlow since 1976.

Henlow Stadium
Bedford Road
Henlow Camp
Bedfordshire
SG16 6EA
Enquiries 01462 851 850
Email: henlowgreyhounds@clara.co.uk

Directions

Opposite the Henlow RAF Camp, 5 miles north of Hitchin on the A600.

Racing

Race days are Mondays and Fridays Admission is £4.50, for children under 16 entry is free.

Crowd capacity is 1,000 and there is parking for 400.

The track is 410 metres in circumference. The distances raced are 250, 460, 550, 660, 870, 960 metres. The run to the first bend is 75 metres.

(source .. wikipedia) reproduced under GFDL

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]

website

[ Anything to add? Spotted an error? Click here to improve this entry ]