War Memorial Coliseum
From Hoopedia
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is a 13,000-seat sports arena in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It is home to the NBA D-League's Fort Wayne Mad Ants and the IUPU Fort Wayne men's basketball team. The arena was home to the National Basketball Association's Fort Wayne Pistons from 1952 until the team's move to Detroit in 1957 and hosted two NBA Finals (in 1955 and 1956), as well as the NBA All-Star Game in 1953. The arena hosted the 2000-02 Mid-Continent Conference men’s basketball tournaments.
It was originally built in 1952 for $3 million on the northwest corner of Fort Wayne's Johnny Appleseed Park. The coliseum was designed to seat 8,000 for hockey or 10,240 for basketball. A major renovation and expansion in 2002, which raised the coliseum's roof by 41 feet, increased the arena's seating capacity to 10,500 for hockey or music concerts and 13,000 for basketball.
The structure was designed by A. M. Strauss Architects for the Allen County, Indiana Commissioners. The coliseum was noted for its innovative use of a long-span, all-welded rigid steel frame, which at the time of construction in 1952 was the longest span for that technique.
It is also home to the Fort Wayne Komets Ice hockey team, and the Fort Wayne Fusion arenafootball2 team.
