The Arizona State Fair Commission began planning for an "Arizona State Fairgrounds Exposition Center" as early as February 1960.[2] The Commission envisioned an indoor facility which could be used during the State Fair as well as year-round. In 1964, Phoenix architect Leslie Mahoney, of the Lescher and Mahoney firm (designers of the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix among others) presented the commission with the final plans, and construction began that summer.[3] Tucson architect Lew Place (son of University of Arizona chief campus architect Roy Place, and who later took over his father's firm) was also involved in the design. The structural engineering firm was T. Y. Lin International.[4]
The unique saddle-shaped, tension-cable roof, supporting over 1,000 precast concrete panels, was considered innovative architectural engineering at the time. It may have been at least partially influenced by the equally innovative Dorton Arena at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, completed in 1952. Veterans Memorial Coliseum also contains a series of murals by Phoenix artist Paul Coze. The design influenced later arenas' architecture, including the now-defunct Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, and the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta.
The Coliseum in 2007
In April 1965, the name was officially changed to honor Arizona's war veterans. There was an early controversy over whether alcohol would be served at the new facility, but legislation was signed in April 1965 by Governor Sam Goddard providing for limited liquor sales. The Coliseum opened November 3, 1965, with a production of Ice Follies.[5] The final cost was estimated at $7 million, all privately funded.
The Coliseum suffers from a leaky roof dating back to at least its first anniversary, when management put a 25-foot (7.6 m) candle on the roof to celebrate the building's first birthday. The candle broke the roof's seal, which caused a number of leaks over the years.[5][6]
Concerts
On January 21, 1967, The Monkees performed their first ever live concert at the Coliseum, which was filmed and portions used in episode 4753 The Monkees on Tour. The episode first aired on NBC, April 24, 1967. The episode also included some footage of the band's stay at Mountain Shadows Resort.[7] On November 11, 1969, The Rolling Stones played a show for their Let it Bleed tour at the Coliseum. On September 9, 1970, Elvis Presley kicked off his first tour after returning to live performing, here in front of a sell-out crowd of 13,000 as he did his first tour of 1973 on April 22 in front of 15,000. On October 18, 1993, Nirvana kicked off their In Utero world tour with a sold-out concert at the Coliseum.
Basketball
The arena hosted the Phoenix Suns of the NBA from 1968 to 1992. During the Suns' tenure there, the Coliseum was affectionately referred to as "The Madhouse on McDowell" (named for McDowell Road, the street on which the arena is located) by both fans and the local media.[8] Ironically, it was Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn that gave the Suns' home the nickname during the 1970 playoffs.[9]
A preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers had to be canceled on October 6, 1974, after a leaky roof caused an unsuitable playing surface.[5][6]
The arena hosted truck pulling sanctioned by USHRA in the late 1980s. It was frequently featured on USHRA's truck pulling series on ESPN.
The Coliseum also housed the Phoenix Inferno (also known as the Phoenix Pride) of the MISL from 1980 to 1984.
The Coliseum also hosted a Saturday Night's Main Event taping on Feb. 15, 1986 (shown on NBC on March 1, 1986), when King Kong Bundy attacked Hulk Hogan at the end of his title defense versus Magnificent Muraco. Hogan suffered (kayfabe) rib injuries, setting up their steel cage main event match at WrestleMania 2.
The arena remains open for some events, even though the Suns left in 1992 for the America West Arena (now Footprint Center). The Arizona State Fair schedules concerts, comedy shows and other events in the Coliseum during the Fair's annual season (which begins each October). For several years, it hosted portions of Arizona's high school basketball championships; those were moved to the newer Gila River Arena in 2005 and returned to the Coliseum for 2020.[12]
In the fall of 2005, the Coliseum sheltered up to 2,500 evacuees from New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The evacuees were relocated to other housing in time for the opening of the Fair that October.
The Coliseum most recently hosted Sam Smith on his In The Lonely Hour Tour in the summer of 2015. The Phoenix Suns would also return to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum for a pre-season scrimmage on October 3, 2015, as a part of their "We Are PHX" movement, as well as unveiled signs commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Coliseum's existence.[13][14]
The Phoenix Union High School District holds its high school graduation ceremonies for all its schools starting on Tuesday after the third Monday in May for three days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).
