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Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center
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The Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center (originally known as the Charleston Civic Center) is a municipal event complex located in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Opened in 1959, the facility includes a multi-purpose coliseum, a theater, the Charleston Municipal Auditorium, and a convention center. The venue hosts concerts, sporting events, trade shows, conventions, and community activities.
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History
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In 1953, Charleston voters approved a series of general obligation bonds to fund the construction of a civic center on the banks of the Elk River, between Lee Street and Quarrier Street. The original Civic Center opened in January 1959 at a cost of $3 million and included a 6,000-seat arena and a 770-seat "Little Theater."[11]
The first expansion, costing $1.8 million, occurred in 1968 and added 2,400 seats to the grand arena. The project also included the installation of air conditioning and the construction of a recreational ice skating rink.
In the mid-1970s, city officials recognized that for Charleston to establish itself as a regional entertainment and convention center, expanded public assembly facilities were necessary. They decided to construct a new coliseum with a two-story lobby connecting it to the existing Civic Center. The existing Civic Center would then be renovated into a first-class convention center, featuring meeting rooms, exhibit halls, and major banquet facilities.
Ground was broken on July 24, 1978, for the 13,500-seat coliseum and lobby. The $19 million project was financed through federal funding, a $10 million general obligation bond issue was approved by Charleston citizens. The coliseum was completed in 1980, with the rock band Queen performing the first show at the new venue on August 16, 1980.[12]
In 1994, the 36,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) Grand Hall of the convention center received new ceiling, paint, and lighting. The ice rink was converted into an exhibit hall in 2001. Between 2004 and 2006, approximately $250,000 was spent renovating the Little Theater.[13]
In May 2015, the Charleston Municipal Planning Commission approved permits for a $72 million comprehensive expansion and renovation project. Construction began in September 2015 and was expected to be completed in early 2018, with the Civic Center remaining open during construction.[14]
On September 26, 2018, it was announced that the Charleston Civic Center would be renamed the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.[15]
In February 2024, the Charleston Municipal Auditorium was temporarily closed due to health and safety concerns. In January 2025, the Charleston City Council set aside $1 million to fund the next assessment of the 86-year-old building. The study will help determine what to do with the facade, which is considered a historical artifact.[16]
In January 2025, Charleston City Council approved a resolution to replace the original seats at the Coliseum, which had remained in place since the arena's opening in 1983. The installation of the new seating was announced in August 2025.[17]
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Facilities
The Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center complex includes several venues:
- The Charleston Coliseum, a multi-purpose arena with seating for up to 13,500 and more than 30,500 square feet of flexible event space.
- The Charleston Municipal Auditorium, originally built in 1939, is currently closed due to health and safety concerns. When open, it was used for performances and lectures and had a seating capacity of 3,483.
- The Charleston Theater, a performance venue with a seating capacity of 770.
- Additional meeting rooms and smaller event spaces.
Accessibility and modern amenities are provided throughout the complex.
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Sports and Entertainment
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The Charleston Coliseum has hosted numerous sporting events, including the WVSSAC Boys and Girls State Basketball Tournaments, the WVSSAC High School Volleyball State Tournament, the WVSSAC Cheerleading State Championships, and several West Virginia University games, such as the annual Capital Classic rivalry against Marshall University which was held in Charleston from 1989 to 2015.[18]
The arena hosted the Mountain East Conference men's basketball tournament, part of NCAA Division II, from 2014 to 2018,[19] and previously hosted the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men’s basketball tournament, also part of NCAA Division II, from 1959 until the conference dissolved in 2013.[20] The coliseum has also served as a regional host site for The Basketball Tournament (TBT) in 2021, 2022, and 2025.[21]
The coliseum will host a matchup between West Virginia and Wake Forest on December 6, 2025, as part of the “2025 Holiday Hoopsfest” in Charleston. This will mark the 11th all-time meeting between the two programs and the first since the 2005 NCAA Tournament, with West Virginia holding a 7–3 series lead.[22]
The complex hosts a wide range of annual and one-time events. Notable recurring events include:
Concerts
List of notable concerts held at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center in Charleston, West Virginia
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Milestones and notable events
- December 13, 1958 – In the first basketball game ever played at the new Charleston Civic Center, No. 4 West Virginia, led by future Hall of Famer and Charleston area native Jerry West, was upset by Virginia 75–72.[29]
- January 16, 1959 – Elgin Baylor star player of the Minneapolis Lakers, refused to play against the Cincinnati Royals due to the racial discrimination the team experienced at a Charleston hotel.[30]
- 1960 – The Civic Center served as a significant stop during John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign in West Virginia.
- February 6, 1961 – B.B. King became the first artist to perform live at the newly opened Charleston Civic Center.
- December 6, 1965 – In front of 6,000 spectators, West Virginia natives Jerry West and Hal Greer faced off against one another as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 116–107.[31]
- February 7, 1966 – West Virginia upsets top-ranked Duke Blue Devils 94–90 before 5,800 fans.[32]
- February 14, 1966 – Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers broke the NBA’s all-time career scoring record of 20,884 points with a 41-point performance in a 149–123 win against the Detroit Pistons at the Civic Center.[33][34]
- July 11–12, 1975, and July 24, 1976 – Elvis Presley performed three sellout shows at the Civic Center.[33]
- August 16, 1980 – British rock band Queen performed the first concert at the newly renovated Civic Center Coliseum.[35]
- March 17, 1994 – DuPont defeated Woodrow Wilson 85–81 in the West Virginia High School Boys Basketball State Tournament before a record crowd of 12,850. Future NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss scored 33 points and future NBA player Jason Williams added 17 points with 11 assists, while Anthony Scruggs also had 33 and Gene Nabors scored 28.[36]
- January 26, 2007 – O.J. Mayo allegedly bumped into referee Mike Lazo after being ejected from a Huntington game vs. Capital.[37]
- March 2007 – Led by future NBA players O. J. Mayo (41 points) and Patrick Patterson, Huntington won its third consecutive Class AAA state championship with a 103–61 victory over South Charleston.
- November 21, 2007 – Top-ranked and defending national champions Tennessee, led by Hall of Famer Pat Summitt, defeated No. 16 West Virginia 67–49. Former South Charleston alumni Alexis Hornbuckle scored 12 points in the homecoming game.[38]
- August 21, 2018 – President Donald Trump visited Charleston and held a rally in the Coliseum.[39] He had also spoken at the venue during the 2016 presidential election.[40]
- January 2025 – Charleston City Council approved a resolution to replace the original seats at the Coliseum, which had been in place since the venue opened in 1983. Installation of the new seating was announced in August 2025.[17]
- August 9, 2025 – Senator Bernie Sanders addressed a standing-room crowd of 3,000 in the Grand Ballroom as part of his Fighting Oligarchy Tour.[41]
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References
External links
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