Pechanga Arena

Pechanga Arena

Pechanga Arena is an indoor arena in San Diego, California. It opened in 1966 and shows a style called New Formalism architecture. The city of San Diego thinks it is important history.

Over time, many sports teams have played there. Today, the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League and the San Diego Seals of the National Lacrosse League use the arena.

In the past, basketball teams like the San Diego Rockets and the San Diego Clippers played there. Big events happened there too, such as the 1971 NBA All-Star Game and a boxing match in 1973.

In June 2023, a company led by Stan Kroenke said they want to rebuild the place. The plan, called Midway Rising, would build a new, bigger arena, homes, a park, and fun spaces.

History

The Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California was built in 1966 for $6.4 million by Bob Breitbard, a local football player who played for the San Diego State Aztecs. To make space for the arena, the city removed a housing project that had been there since 1943. The arena could hold many people for hockey and basketball games. It was 77 feet tall, built before height limits were set in the area.

The arena opened on November 17, 1966, with fans watching the San Diego Gulls play their first game. In 2013, it was named one of the top locations in San Diego sports history.

Naming history

The arena has had several names over the years:

• San Diego International Sports Arena (November 17, 1966—1970)
• San Diego Sports Arena (1970—March 19, 2005; May 9, 2007—November 12, 2010; December 1, 2018—December 5, 2018)
• iPayOne Center (March 20, 2005—May 8, 2007)
• Valley View Casino Center (November 13, 2010—November 30, 2018)
• Pechanga Arena (December 5, 2018—present)

The name changed to "Valley View Casino Center" in 2010 and then to "Pechanga Arena" in 2018 after a new agreement.

Events

Sports

The arena can hold many people for sports and shows. It seats 12,000 for indoor football, 12,920 for ice hockey, indoor soccer, and box lacrosse, 14,500 for basketball and tennis, and up to 16,100 for boxing and mixed martial arts.

The arena opened in 1966 with a hockey game. Many sports teams have played there, including basketball teams like the San Diego Rockets and San Diego Clippers. It has hosted big events like a boxing match in 1973 and a basketball event in 1975.

Concerts

Many famous musicians have performed at the arena. The Stone Poneys played there in 1968, followed by Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix in 1969. Elvis Presley performed there in 1970 and 1976. Other performers have included The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead, Queen, Alice Cooper, the Bee Gees, ABBA, Bob Marley, Heart, Duran Duran, The Scorpions, Rush, Van Halen, Dio, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Janet Jackson, MC Hammer, Gloria Estefan, Metallica, Nirvana, Britney Spears, U2, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Eric Clapton, Justin Bieber, LMFAO, Selena Gomez, Madonna, Muse, Jason Aldean, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Tyler, The Creator, Lana Del Rey, Maluma, Slayer, Shakira, Halsey, Ellie Goulding, Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood, Tame Impala, Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, and AJR.

Other events

The arena has hosted wrestling events, including shows for WWE. It also hosted a special event in 2011 with Florence and the Machine and Blink-182. The venue has featured roller games and roller derby events, as well as Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live in 2019.

Arena's future

During the 1990s and 2000s, the arena was used less for sports and entertainment. The city thought about new plans for the land. In August 2020, Mayor Kevin Faulconer shared that the city picked a developer to change the arena and its surrounding land into a fun place with new activities. The plan included a new sports arena, many homes, shops, and parks.

In November 2020, voters chose to remove a rule that limited how tall buildings could be. But in June 2021, a state group said the plan didn’t follow rules about saving land for affordable homes. The city got ready to say the land wasn’t needed anymore, but wanted to keep the sports arena as a place for fun. If allowed, the city would ask new groups to help build homes that are affordable.

In 2022, voters had another vote about building heights. Three groups offered ideas for new buildings, homes, shops, and parks. The plan called "Midway Rising" was chosen. In 2023, Stan Kroenke joined this group, helping with the project. He had also helped change the old Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood.