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The building opened ==History==Planning for the auditorium was begun in [[1955]]the early 1950s. It was managed by former [[Mayor of Pensacola|Pensacola mayor]] The development faced early opposition from the [[Walter WickeSaenger Theatre]] from its opening until Wicke's death in [[1966]]owners and others who questioned "the right of the city to levy amusement taxes which would tax the theatres for the construction of a competitive business."<ref>http://www"Saenger Continues Fight On Pensacola Auditorium.stjohnshistoriccemetery.com/pensacolas_heritages/government" ''Boxoffice'', July 14, 1951.htm#w_wicke</ref>
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→Other performers: Added
{{Infobox Building|image=MunicipalAuditorium1974.jpg|caption=The Municipal Auditorium in [[1974]]|name=Bayfront Auditorium<br/><small>formerly the Pensacola Municipal Auditorium</small>|location=900 South [[Palafox Street]]|architect=|client=[[City of Pensacola]]|engineer=|owner=|construction_start_date=|completion_date=[[1955]]|renovations=|date_demolished=[[2005]]|cost=$820,000|structural_system=|style=|size=|mapcode=<googlemap version="0.9" lat="30.404712" lon="-87.213507" zoom="15" width="300" height="250">30.402361, -87.21297</googlemap>}}'''Bayfront Auditorium''' (originally known as the '''Pensacola Municipal Auditorium'''until [[1988]]) was a building that sat for fifty years at the foot of [[Palafox Street]], overlooking [[Pensacola Bay]]. It was demolished in [[2005]].
The Municipal Auditorium was built for $820,000 and dedicated on [[February 8]], [[1955]]. The [[Pensacola High School]] band played at the dedication ceremony and was the first group to perform there. The [[Wikipedia:Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra|Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra]] was the first major concert a month later, to a crowd of about 2,000.<ref name="landmark">"Landmark brought many greats." ''Pensacola News Journal'', October 18, 1999.</ref> The building was managed by former [[Mayor of Pensacola|Pensacola mayor]] [[Walter Wicke]] from its opening until Wicke's death in [[1966]].<ref>http://www.stjohnshistoriccemetery.com/pensacolas_heritages/government.htm#w_wicke</ref> During [[segregation]], blacks were forced to use a side entrance and sit in the balcony. During its lifetime, the building was host to some of the world's biggest musical acts. [[Wikipedia:Elvis Presley|Elvis Presley]] performed at the auditorium on [[February 26]], [[1956]].<ref>http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-music&tid=86642&redirCnt=1</ref> [[Wikipedia:Patsy Cline|Patsy Cline]] sang at the auditorium only a few years before her death. When [[Wikipedia:Jerry Lee Lewis|Jerry Lee Lewis]] performed, he pounded the new piano so fiercely that the management stopped the show halfway through. The attendance record was set by [[Wikipedia:Charley Pride|Charley Pride]], whose [[1971]] concert packed in 3,000 fans.<ref>Troy Moon. name="Landmark brought many greats.landmark" ''Pensacola News Journal'', October 18, 1999.</ref>
In later years, the building also hosted the [[Civil Airs Dance Club]] and the [[Pensacola Junior League]]'s annual "Bargain Sale" fundraiser.
On [[January 22]], [[2004]], the [[Pensacola City Council]] voted to demolish the building, to be replaced by a new municipal auditorium as part of the [[Festival Park]] project on the [[Trillium]] site. It got a reprieve when that project was halted by a voter referendum. However, after receiving extensive damage during [[Hurricane Ivan]], the building was again slated for demolition. [[Big Dog Demolition]] completed the demolition on [[July 24]], [[2005]], and debris was used for offshore fishing reefs and in Phase II of [[Project GreenShores]].<ref>http://www.bigdogdemo.com/bayfront.html</ref>
[[Plaza de Luna]] was built on the site of the auditorium in [[2006]] and opened in [[2007]]. ==Other performers==*[[Red Foley, with special guests the Phatons, and Sandpipers]] (1965)*[[Lovin' Spoonful]] (1966)*[[Liberace]] (1966 & 1967) *[[The Byrds]] (1968)*[[Three Dog Night]] (1969 or '70)*[[ZZ Top and Savoy Brown]] - (1970)*[[The Cowsills]] (May 17, 1970)*[[Ted Nugent]] (Noel Christmas Dance, December 1970)*[[Bloodrock]], with Ted Nugent, and Pensacola's premier band Lyman Slack (February 1973)*[[Charlie Daniels Band]] (May 31, 1973)*[[BB King]] (June 11, 1973) *[[Foghat]] (August 22, 1973)*[[Cheech and Chong]] (Fall 1973)*[[Black Oak Arkansas]] (July 16, 1973 & January 1974)*[[White Witch]] (Summer 1974)*[[Bee Gees]] (1975)*[[Wet Willie]] (Spring 1975)*[[Lynyrd Skynyrd]] (March 29, 1975)*[[Manhattans]] (1975) *[[Rare Earth]] (Winter 1975-'76)*[[Atlanta Rhythm Section and LeRoux]] (1978)*[[Gulf Coast Corvette Club Car Show]] (Summer 1978)*[[Blackfoot and Johnny Van Zant]] (1979) *[[Molly Hatchet and Dixie Dregs]] (April 1, 1979)*[[Mike Danger's No Wave Jam]] (Summer 1986)*[[Wikipedia:Megadeth|Megadeth]] (April 14, 1987)*[[Echo and The Bunnymen]] (April 14, 1988)*[[Ted Nugent and LA Guns]] (April 25, 1988)*[[Yngwie Malmsteen]] (June 28, 1988)*[[Wikipedia:Continental Championship Wrestling|Continental Championship Wrestling]] (Late 1970s-late 1980s)* [[Wikipedia:Carlos Santana|Carlos Santana]]- (1990)*[[Roy Jones, Jr.]] (several times between 1989 and 1991)*[[Wikipedia:Bob Dylan|Bob Dylan]] (September 12, 1992)*[[Wikipedia:Primus|Primus]] (1993)*[[Wikipedia:Jethro Tull|Jethro Tull]] (April 3, 1996)*[[Wikipedia:Presidents of The United States of America|Presidents of The United States of America]] (May 11, 1996)*[[Wikipedia:311|311]] (May 23, 1996)*[[Wikipedia:No Doubt|No Doubt]] (May 23, 1996)*[[Wikipedia:Rage Against the Machine|Rage Against the Machine]] (July 15, 1996)*[[Wikipedia:Tori Amos|Tori Amos]] (August 10, 1996)*[[Wikipedia:Foo Fighters|Foo Fighters]] (April 29, 1998)*[[Wikipedia:Widespread Panic|Widespread Panic]] (April 28, 1999)*[[Wikipedia:"Weird Al" Yankovic|"Weird Al" Yankovic]] (October 5, 2000)*[[Wikipedia:Green Day|Green Day]] (January 15, 2001)*[[Wikipedia:A Perfect Circle|A Perfect Circle]] (February 18, 2001)*[[Wikipedia:Papa Roach|Papa Roach]] (March 18, 2001)*[[Wikipedia:The Offspring|The Offspring]] (April 25, 2001)*[[Wikipedia:311|311]] (October 19, 2001)*[[Wikipedia:B. B. King|B. B. King]] (December 29, 2002)*[[Wikipedia:Puddle of Mudd|Puddle of Mudd]] (April 20, 2004) ==Images==<gallery>Image:MunicipalAuditoriumRear.jpgImage:BayfrontAuditoriumAerial.jpgImage:Bayfrontaud1959.jpg|From [[Pensacola Bay]], [[1959]]</gallery>
==References==
[[Category:Demolished structures]][[Category:Music venues]]
