Macon Coliseum

Macon Coliseum
	Interior of arena (c.2007)
	Macon Coliseum Location within Georgia Macon Coliseum Location within the United States
Full name	Macon Centreplex Coliseum Arena
Address	200 Coliseum Dr; Macon, GA 31217-3806
Location	Macon Centreplex
Owner	City of Macon
Operator	Spectra
Capacity	9,000; Detailed capacity Basketball: 9,252; Hockey/Arena football: 7,182; End stage 180°: 7,418; End stage 270°: 8,024; End stage 360°: 8,438; Theatre: 1,750;
Construction
Opened	October 30, 1968
Renovated	1996; 2015;
Tenants
	Macon Whoopees (SHL) (1973-74); Macon Whoopee (CHL) (1996-2001); Macon Whoopee (ECHL) (2001-02); Macon Knights (af2) (2001-06); Macon Trax (ACHL/WHA2/SPHL) (2002-05); Macon Blaze (WBA) (2005); Macon Steel (AIF) (2012); Macon Mayhem (SPHL) (2015-present); Georgia Doom (AAL) (2018–19)
Website
	Venue Website

The Macon Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena in Macon, Georgia, United States. It is home to the Macon Mayhem, a minor-league hockey team in the SPHL. The Centerplex was home to the Macon Whoopee (ECHL), Macon Whoopee (CHL) and Macon Trax ice hockey teams and the Macon Knights arena football team. It seats 7,182 for hockey and arena football and up to 9,252 for concerts.

History

Macon Centreplex was built in 1968 as the first facility of its size and kind in the state. Mayor Ronnie Thompson was among its most influential backers. Thompson, who served from 1967 to 1975, blocked an appearance at the facility by the boxer Muhammad Ali because the mayor objected to Ali's Conscientious Objector status during the Vietnam War.

The Centreplex quickly became Central Georgia's premier sports, entertainment and trade show venue, with concerts by well-known performers such as Elvis Presley. Presley performed at the centreplex on April 15, 1972, afternoon show and evening show, April 24, 1975, August 31, 1976, and June 1, 1977. Many others have performed here, including Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers Band, KISS, Van Halen, Jethro Tull, James Brown, War, Jackson 5, Jeffrey Osborne, Earth, Wind, and Fire, The Emotions, Bar Kays, Parliament/Funkadelic, The Temptations, OJays, Chicago, Leon Russell, Aerosmith, Rick James, Prince, The Time, Vanity 6, George Jones, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams Jr., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sarah McLachlan, Billy Joel, Katy Perry, Elton John and many others. R.E.M. filmed part of its first concert film Tourfilm here on November 11, 1989.

Professional wrestling often comes to the Centreplex. World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was a frequent visitor of the Centreplex, holding multiple television tapings and non-televised house shows all throughout the 90s. WCW's supercard Clash of the Champions XXI aired live from the Centreplex on TBS on November 18, 1992. The show featured Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas winning the unified WCW World Tag Team Championship and NWA World Tag Team Championship from Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes. Windham turned heel on Rhodes after the match.

WCW Monday Nitro, WCW's flagship weekly live television show that aired on TNT, emanated from the Centreplex a few times:

— November 20, 1995 (notable for featuring the very first one-on-one match in history between Hulk Hogan and Sting)^[2]

— May 27, 1996 (notable for being the first two-hour episode of the show and Scott Hall's debut in WCW, beginning the New World Order storyline)^[3]

— December 23, 1996^[3]

— June 23, 1997^[4]

— December 22, 1997 (notable for being the first and only episode of "nWo Monday Nitro")^[4]

WWE also visits the Centreplex. On January 28, 1991, the company (then called the World Wrestling Federation or "WWF") held their 5th and final episode of The Main Event V, which aired nationally on NBC on February 1, 1991.^[5] The show featured the announcement that Hulk Hogan would face WWF Champion Sgt. Slaughter at WrestleMania VII for the title. The WWF also taped matches and segments for their syndicated shows, which featured the debut of Paul Bearer as the manager of The Undertaker. Their flagship weekly live television show, Monday Night Raw, aired live from the Centreplex on February 20, 1995, and featured the return of Sycho Sid to the WWF for the first time in almost 3 years. The following two episodes on February 27, 1995, and March 6, 1995, also featured taped matches from the Centreplex. As of 2017, WWE still holds house shows in the Centreplex about twice a year.

Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action) also held a television taping for their weekly flagship show, Impact Wrestling, on October 27, 2011, at the Centreplex. The shows aired on Spike on November 3, 2011, and November 10, 2011.

Donald Trump held a nationally televised campaign rally at the Centreplex on October 16, 2015 during his first United States Presidential campaign.

The arena underwent major renovations in 1996 including the addition of the Edgar H. Wilson Convention Centre, which hosts conventions, trade shows and banquets. Three luxury suites were added in 2003 and the Centreplex's exterior redone, resulting in the addition of a giant "M" at the main entrance on the arena.

In fiction

The Macon Coliseum was used to stand for La halle de glace Olympique in Albertville and the CC Amfi in Hamar in the film I, Tonya.^[6]

References

^ "Macon Coliseum Tech Pack" (PDF). Macon Centreplex: Auditorim, Coliseum & Convention Centre. January 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
^ "WCW 1995". thehistoryofwwe.com. 16 January 2023.
^ ^a ^b "WCW 1996". thehistoryofwwe.com. 16 January 2023.
^ ^a ^b "WCW 1997". thehistoryofwwe.com. 16 January 2023.
^ "1991". thehistoryofwwe.com. 16 January 2023.
^ Jennifer Brett, Atlanta Buzz. "What Tonya Harding thought of Georgia-filmed "I, Tonya"". ajc.

External links

Official website

Preceded by The Spectrum Philadelphia	FIBA Intercontinental Cup Final Venue 1969	Succeeded by Palazzo dello Sport Lino Oldrini Varese

32°50′31″N 83°37′11″W / 32.84194°N 83.61972°W / 32.84194; -83.61972

[1] "Macon Coliseum Tech Pack" (PDF). Macon Centreplex: Auditorim, Coliseum & Convention Centre. January 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2022.

[WCW_1995-2] "WCW 1995". thehistoryofwwe.com. 16 January 2023.

[WCW_1996-3] "WCW 1996". thehistoryofwwe.com. 16 January 2023.

[WCW_1997-4] "WCW 1997". thehistoryofwwe.com. 16 January 2023.

[5] "1991". thehistoryofwwe.com. 16 January 2023.

[6] Jennifer Brett, Atlanta Buzz. "What Tonya Harding thought of Georgia-filmed "I, Tonya"". ajc.

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v t e Mercer University
Academics	Engineering Law Medicine
Facilities	American Baptist Historical Society Claude Smith Field Cowles–Woodruff House Grand Opera House Hawkins Arena Macon Coliseum Monroe F. Swilley Jr. Library Moye Complex Tift College
Athletics	Baseball Basketball Men Women Football Lacrosse Men Soccer Men
Media	The Mercer Cluster Mercer University Press WMUM-FM WMUM-TV
Related	List of Mercer University people

v t e Mercer Bears men's basketball
Venues	Porter Gym (1937–??) Macon Coliseum (19??–20??) Hawkins Arena (2004–present)
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25

v t e Mercer Bears women's basketball
Venues	Porter Gym (1970–2004) Macon Coliseum (1970–2004) Hawkins Arena (2004–present)
Culture & lore	History
People	Head coaches
Seasons	1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24

v t e SPHL
Teams	Birmingham Bulls Evansville Thunderbolts Fayetteville Marksmen Huntsville Havoc Knoxville Ice Bears Macon Mayhem Pensacola Ice Flyers Peoria Rivermen Quad City Storm Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
Arenas	Berglund Center (Rail Yard Dawgs) Carver Arena (Rivermen) Crown Coliseum (Marksmen) Ford Center (Thunderbolts) Macon Coliseum (Mayhem) James White Civic Coliseum (Ice Bears) Pelham Civic Center (Bulls) Pensacola Bay Center (Ice Flyers) Vibrant Arena at The MARK (Storm) Von Braun Center (Havoc)
Seasons	2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24
President's Cup William B. Coffey Trophy Other professional hockey leagues

v t e Macon, Georgia
History	Timeline of Macon, Georgia
Education	Bibb Co SD Central HS Howard HS Northeast Magnet HS Rutland HS Southwest Magnet HS Westside HS Academy for Classical Education Georgia Academy for the Blind Central Georgia Technical College Mercer University Middle Georgia State University Wesleyan College
Transportation	Macon Downtown Airport Middle Georgia Regional Airport Terminal Station Macon Transit Authority
Landmarks	The Allman Brothers Band Museum Cannonball House City Hall Douglass Theatre Fort Hawkins Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Grand Opera House Hay House Luther Williams Field Macon City Auditorium Macon Coliseum Macon Little Theater The Medical Center Museum of Arts and Sciences Nu-Way Weiners Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Ocmulgee River Old City Cemetery Riverside Cemetery Rose Hill Cemetery Sidney Lanier Cottage Tubman Museum Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens
The airports serve the city but are outside the city limits.