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| |image=CivicCenter.jpg | | |image=CivicCenter.jpg |
| |caption= | | |caption= |
− | |name=[[File:PensacolaCivicCenterLogo.png|center|Pensacola Civic Center]] | + | |name=Pensacola Civic Center |
| |location=201 East [[Gregory Street]]<br/>Pensacola, FL 32502 | | |location=201 East [[Gregory Street]]<br/>Pensacola, FL 32502 |
| |architect= | | |architect= |
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| |owner=[[Escambia County]] | | |owner=[[Escambia County]] |
| |construction_start_date= | | |construction_start_date= |
− | |completion_date=[[1985]] | + | |completion_date=1985 |
| |renovations= | | |renovations= |
| |date_demolished= | | |date_demolished= |
− | |cost=$21.5 million | + | |cost= |
| |structural_system= | | |structural_system= |
| |style= | | |style= |
| |size= | | |size= |
− | |mapcode=<googlemap lat="30.416259" lon="-87.209687" zoom="15" width="288" height="180"> | + | |mapcode=<googlemap lat="30.416259" lon="-87.209687" zoom="16" width="288" height="288"> |
| 30.416296, -87.208893, Pensacola Civic Center | | 30.416296, -87.208893, Pensacola Civic Center |
| </googlemap> | | </googlemap> |
| }} | | }} |
− | The [[Pensacola Civic Center]] is a municipal arena in [[downtown Pensacola]] owned by [[Escambia County]]. With 23,000 square feet of exhibition space, 13,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 10,000-person maximum capacity, it is one of the largest structures in the Pensacola area. Managed by the Toronto-based SMG (which also manages the [[Saenger Theatre]]) the Civic Center is the primary home to the [[Pensacola Ice Flyers]] and frequently hosts concerts, trade shows, graduation ceremonies and other events. | + | The [[Pensacola Civic Center]] is a municipal arena in [[downtown Pensacola]] owned by [[Escambia County]]. With 23,000 square feet of exhibition space, 13,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 10,000-person maximum capacity, it is one of the largest structures in the Pensacola area. Managed by the Toronto-based SMG (which also manages the [[Saenger Theatre]]) the Civic Center is the primary home to the [[Pensacola Ice Pilots]] and frequently hosts concerts, trade shows, graduation ceremonies and other events. |
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− | ==History==
| + | {{arch-stub}} |
− | ===Background===
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− | By the mid-1970s, Pensacola's lack of venues to host large conferences and conventions was glaring. [[Mobile]], [[Gulf Shores]] and most recently [[Fort Walton Beach]] each had their own convention centers, whereas Pensacola was unable to host a crowd larger than 300.
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− | While many residents and leaders agreed that the area needed a comparable facility of its own, after the tribulations over the [[governmental complex center]], few were willing to propose public funding of a costly new structure. Instead, the renovation of an existing building, like the [[Municipal Auditorium]] or the [[commodity warehouse]], seemed a more affordable solution.<ref>"Will Pensacola Ignore Convention Benefits?" ''Pensacola News'', June 15, 1975.</ref>
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− | In [[1977]] the State of Florida gave local governments the option of levying a sales tax on temporary lodging. On [[November 8]] of that year, [[Escambia County]] voters approved a two percent tax on tourist accommodations, estimated to yield between $225,000-$300,000 per year, to fund the construction of a convention center and arena in the county. At one point proponents advocated construction of two separate facilities: one on [[UWF]]-owned land on [[Santa Rosa Island]], the other on the city-owned, 14-acre [[Baylen Street Slip]].<ref>"Two Convention Centers?" ''Pensacola News'', July 31, 1977.</ref>
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− | The biggest impetus for a new arena came in [[1982]] when [[W. D. Childers]], then president of the Florida Senate, was able to appropriate $12.5 million in state money for a civic center (along with $1.25 million for what would later become the [[T. T. Wentworth Museum]]).<ref>"Sen. Childers Defends Appeasement Strategy." ''Daytona Beach Morning Journal'', April 18, 1982.</ref> Childers had fielded requests from city leaders the previous year for a $10 million loan for the arena, but said of such a loan, "That's what you call pork barreling, parochialism, turkey."<ref>"Childers says tax hike unlikely despite federal cuts." ''Lakeland Ledger'', March 25, 1981.</ref> The eventual funding — a "no strings attached" grant instead of a loan — survived veto threats by Governor [[Wikipedia: Bob Graham| Bob Graham]], who in [[1980]] had vetoed an $8 million appropriation by Childers to build a football stadium at the [[University of West Florida]], which lacked a football team.<ref>"Graham's veto message: budget by need, not whim." ''Lakeland Ledger'', July 13, 1980.</ref>
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− | ===Construction===
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− | {{sectstub}} | |
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− | ===Operations===
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− | The first event to be held at the Civic Center was a concert by the rock band [[Wikipedia:Kiss (band)|KISS]] on [[January 21]].<ref>Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs. ''Kiss Alive Forever''. Billboard Books, 2002.</ref> In Childers' honor, the stretches of [[Chase Street|Chase]] and [[Gregory Street]]s that surround the complex were renamed [[W. D. Childers Plaza]] the same year.<ref>"Signs posted to distinguish Childers Plaza near downtown." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 30, 2006.</ref>
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− | In August 2001, in a year with only five booked concerts, none of which sold out,<ref>"Civic Center enjoying the sweet sound of music." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 9, 2003.</ref> then-[[Escambia County Commission|County Commissioner]] Childers decried the Civic Center as an "albatross" for its failure to turn a profit and pursued an incentive-based contract with the management company.<ref>"W.D. shaping up for year 2." ''Pensacola News Journal'', November 18, 2001.</ref> [[Ogden Enterprises]], which had managed the Civic Center since its opening, had failed to turn a profit every year excluding [[1997]], the Ice Pilots' inaugural year, when they turned a $4,800 profit.<ref name="notprofitable">"Entertainment venues often aren't profitable, but Escambia officials want their subsidized facility to do better." ''Pensacola News Journal'', August 30, 2002.</ref> When Ogden was bought by [[Wikipedia:Aramark|Aramark]], they turned over the management portion of their contract to SMG. When the venue began to show signs of vitality, Childers amended his previous statement: "It was an albatross, but maybe we can make an eagle out of it."<ref name="bouncingback">"Concert venue bouncing back." ''Pensacola News Journal'', March 18, 2002.</ref>
| + | [[Category:Sports arenas]] |
− | | + | [[Category:Concert venues]] |
− | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
| + | [[Category:Properties owned by Escambia County]] |
− | |+Civic Center data by year<ref name="notprofitable"/><ref name="bouncingback"/><ref>"Civic Center struggles in race for big-ticket concerts." ''Pensacola News Journal'', November 6, 1999.</ref>
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− | |-
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− | ! Year !! Operating profit/loss !! Number of concerts !! Average ticket price
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− | |-
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− | ! 1985
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− | | || 32 || $13.26
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− | |-
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− | ! 1986
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− | | || 22 || $13.86
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− | |-
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− | ! 1987
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− | | || 12 || $15.70
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− | |-
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− | ! 1988
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− | | || 20 || $15.66
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− | |-
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− | ! 1989
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− | | || 14 || $16.36
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− | |-
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− | ! 1990
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− | | || 17 || $18.53
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− | |-
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− | ! 1991
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− | | || 14 || $19.36
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− | |-
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− | ! 1992
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− | | || 16 || $18.72
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− | |-
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− | ! 1993
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− | | || 18 || $20.11
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− | |-
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− | ! 1994
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− | | || 18 || $23.90
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− | |-
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− | ! 1995
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− | | style="background:#ffcccc" | -$560,561<ref>Includes 84 days closed for ice installation</ref> || 14 || $22.91
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− | |-
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− | ! 1996
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− | | style="background:#ccffcc" | +$4,804 || 12 || $28.31
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− | |-
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− | ! 1997
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− | | style="background:#ffcccc" | -$94,192 || 9 || $30.48
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− | |-
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− | ! 1998
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− | | style="background:#ffcccc" | -$249,618 || 4 || $33.00
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− | |-
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− | ! 1999
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− | | style="background:#ffcccc" | -$176,995 || 5 || $34.72
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− | |-
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− | ! 2000
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− | | || ||
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− | |-
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− | ! 2001
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− | | style="background:#ffcccc" | -$469,000 || 5 ||
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− | |-
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− | ! 2002
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− | | || ||
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− | |-
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− | ! 2003
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− | |-
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− | ! 2004
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− | | || ||
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− | |-
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− | ! 2005
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− | | || ||
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− | |-
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− | ! 2006
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− | | || ||
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− | |-
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− | ! 2007
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− | | || ||
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− | |}
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− | ==References & notes==
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− | {{reflist|2}}
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− | | |
− | {{arch-stub}}
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− | [[Category:Sports facilities]] [[Category:Music venues]] [[Category:Properties owned by Escambia County]] | |