MassMutual Center
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The MassMutual Center is a 6,679-seat multi-purpose arena in Springfield, Massachusetts. It is home to the Springfield Falcons Ice hockey team. Formerly known as the Springfield Civic Center, the facility opened in 1972 and was at the time one of the largest arenas in the region. It was owned and operated by the city for eighteen years before going into private hands for the next six. In 1996, it reverted to city control. A few years later, the Massachusetts Legislature authorized a major renovation of the facility and transferred ownership to the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. The renovation included work on the arena and construction of new exhibition space facing Main Street. A plaza and bank used to be on that plot of land. In 2005 the Center was renamed when MassMutual Financial Group entered into a naming rights agreement for the arena and convention center. Its grand opening (or reopening depending on perspective) occurred on Oct 1, 2005.
The arena also hosted the Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League while the Hartford Civic Center was undergoing renovations. It also hosted the 19th WWF In Your House pay-per-view in 1997. It has also hosted WWF Monday Night RAW the last one was on March 6, 2000. Plus two WWE Smackdown! shows, the first one was on October 28, 1999 and the second was on Tuesday December 13, 2005.
The building, located in the "Birthplace of Basketball", has also hosted numerous NCAA Division II basketball championships, first from 1980-94 and now for the last two years. One of the most exciting games in Division II history took place here on March 24, 2007 when Barton rallied from a 74-67 deficit with 45 seconds left to post a 77-75 win over Winona State, with Barton's Anthony Atkinson scoring all 10 points.
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| Preceded by Hartford Civic Center 1974–1978 |
Home of the New England/Hartford Whalers 1978–1980 |
Succeeded by Hartford Civic Center 1980–1997 |
| Current arenas in the American Hockey League | ||
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | Western Conference | |
| Arena at Harbor Yard | Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena | Cumberland County Civic Center | DCU Center | Dunkin' Donuts Center | GIANT Center | Hartford Civic Center | MassMutual Center | Norfolk Scope | Times Union Center | Tsongas Arena | Verizon Wireless Arena | Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza | Wachovia Spectrum | Allstate Arena | AT&T Center | Blue Cross Arena | Bradley Center | Carver Arena | Copps Coliseum | MTS Centre | Omaha Civic Auditorium | Ricoh Coliseum | Toyota Center | Van Andel Arena | War Memorial at Oncenter | Wells Fargo Arena | |
Categories: Massachusetts building and structure stubs | Northeastern United States sports venue stubs | Indoor arenas in the United States | Sports venues in Massachusetts | Indoor ice hockey venues in the United States | Springfield, Massachusetts | Springfield Falcons | Springfield Indians | National Hockey League venues
