Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rosemont, Illinois, United States. It is home to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and Interstate 90, adjacent to the city limits of Chicago and O'Hare International Airport. The facility opened in 1980 as Rosemont Horizon and seats 18,211 for basketball and 17,500 for ice hockey.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
History
The Village of Rosemont issued $19 million in bonds to finance the cost of the arena with exclusive contracts with Araserv, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and MFG International.
On August 13, 1979, the uncompleted roof of the Rosemont Horizon collapsed, killing five construction workers and injuring 16 others. The collapse was featured in the "Engineering Disasters" episode of Modern Marvels, first broadcast by The History Channel on April 20, 2006.
The facility, originally named Rosemont Horizon, was intended to be the home of the Chicago Horizons of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and was home of the 1980-1981 season but the franchise folded in 1982. It was also intended to be the home of the WHA's Chicago Cougars, but the team folded in 1975, three years before construction on the arena started. The first concert held at the Horizon was Fleetwood Mac on May 15, 1980, as they cut a red ribbon on the stage during the opening of the show.
The Rosemont Horizon was featured in many music videos, including the 1985 music video "Big City Nights" by Scorpions.
Insurance company Allstate signed a 10-year contract worth more than $10 million on June 9, 1999, to acquire naming rights to the arena and renovate it.
On December 14, 2003, the floor at the Allstate Arena was named "Ray and Marge Meyer Court" in honor of Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Meyer and his wife. Meyer coached DePaul's men's team for 42 seasons and is the school's all-time winningest coach.
Rosemont Soccer Video
Events
Sports
Allstate Arena is primarily known as having been home of DePaul University men's basketball from the program's 74-56 win over Gonzaga on December 1, 1980 until the end of the 2016-17 season. The Blue Demons previously played on campus at Alumni Hall. That gym has since been replaced with McGrath-Phillips Arena, home to the women's basketball program through that team's 2016-17 season. The building hosted the NCAA basketball tournament three times: the 1987 and 1993 Midwest Regional first and second-round games, and the 2005 Chicago Regional Finals.
The Arena Football League also has a long history with Allstate Arena. The Horizon hosted an arena football test game in 1987 and the Chicago Bruisers were an original Arena Football League team when the league began in 1987. The Bruisers played from 1987 to 1989, and hosted ArenaBowl II in Rosemont, losing to the Detroit Drive, 24-13. In 2001, Arena Football returned to the arena with the Chicago Rush. The Rush increased its home attendance each year from 2001 to 2008, and from 2004 to 2008 averaged between 14,000 and 16,000 fans per game. The Rush's highest home attendance is 16,391 on June 23, 2007 against the Kansas City Brigade. After the AFL restructured in 2009, the Rush returned to the Arena Football League.
When it was called Rosemont Horizon, the arena hosted WCW's Spring Stampede 1994. During the mid-1990s, Rosemont Horizon was the standard venue when WCW visited in Chicago; having replaced the UIC Pavilion, it was eventually dropped in favor of the United Center.
On October 25, 2008, the Allstate Arena hosted UFC 90, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship event in the state of Illinois.
The Professional Bull Riders brought their Built Ford Tough Series tour for events in 2006 and 2008. The tour has had annual events here every January since 2013.
Allstate Arena is where the racing track style known as "Chicago-Style" (also known as roundy round and chase race) was created for Monster Truck Racing. It is the smallest arena that the track style is used in as well. Monster Jam is currently the only promotion company contracted at the venue for Monster Trucks.
The Chicago Sky of the WNBA announced on August 17, 2009 that the team reached a multi-year contract agreement with the arena.
Loyola University Chicago also played its home games at the Rosemont Horizon in the 1990s, until the on-campus Gentile Arena was built.
During the 2012-13 NHL lockout, Allstate Arena was the site of the Champs for Charity Hockey Game where current and former Chicago Blackhawks hosted fellow NHLers in front of 10,000+ fans.
DePaul is scheduled to leave the arena after the 2016-17 season for the new Wintrust Arena, leaving the arena without a permanent college basketball tenant, although Northwestern announced it will move its men's games to the arena for the 2017-18 season before returning to its on-campus home of Welsh-Ryan Arena after a full academic year renovation of that facility.
Professional league championships and playoffs
- AFL ArenaBowl II
- AHL Calder Cup
- Qualifier (Western Conference): 2002
- Western Conference Quarterfinals : 2002, 2003 West Division Semifinals 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 Western Conference Quarterfinals: 2012, 2014, 2015
- Western Conference Semifinals: 2002, 2003 West Division Finals: 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 Western Conference Semifinals: 2014
- Western Conference Finals: 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008
- Calder Cup Finals: 2002, 2005, 2008
- IHL Turner Cup
- 1/8 Finals: 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98
- Quarterfinals: 1995-96 Western Conference Quarterfinals: 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01
- Semifinals (Western Conference): 1999-2000, 2000-01
- Turner Cup Finals: 1999-2000, 2000-01
- WNBA Playoffs
- WNBA Eastern Conference Semifinals: 2013, 2014, 2015 WNBA Playoffs Second Round: 2016
- WNBA Eastern Conference Finals: 2013, 2014 WNBA Semifinals: 2016
Other notable events
On November 4, 1984 Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush held a campaign rally in the arena. This rally was held only two-days before the 1984 presidential election.
Misc
The Arena hosts several amusement and circus events, typically outdoors by sharing the parking lots. Since 1991 the Arena has hosted Wolff's Flea Market on weekends during the summer season. This outdoor event has drawn significant crowds during the summer and has become a popular event in the Chicago area.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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