Pershing Center
| Former names | Pershing Auditorium |
|---|---|
| Location | 226 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Coordinates | 40°48′42″N 96°41′55″W / 40.81167°N 96.69861°WCoordinates: 40°48′42″N 96°41′55″W / 40.81167°N 96.69861°W |
| Owner | City of Lincoln |
| Operator | SMG |
| Capacity | 4,526 |
| Opened | March 10, 1957 |
| Closed | August 7, 2014 |
| Tenants | |
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No Coast Derby Girls (WFTDA) (1995–2014) Lincoln Capitals (NIFL) (1999–2006) Lincoln Haymakers (CPIFL) (2013–2014) |
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| Website | |
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The Pershing Center (originally known as Pershing Auditorium) was a 4,526-seat multi-purpose arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. Although still physically in place, it is no longer in use.
The arena was home to the Lincoln Capitols NIFL indoor football team Lincoln Thunder ABA basketball team and the No Coast Derby Girls Women's Flat Track Derby Association league. In 2013, it was home to the Lincoln Haymakers of the Champions Professional Indoor Football League.
It was also a host site for the NSAA boys and girls state basketball, as well as the NSAA girls volleyball championships. It has hosted the national roller-skating championships 28 times, beginning in 1962 though the final 2014 meet, called Last Lap At Pershing. It has held many events in the past, including concerts and WWE/TNA house show wrestling events. The Grateful Dead's performance, on February 26, 1973, was recorded and makes up half of their live album, entitled Dick's Picks Volume 28. The exterior and marquee of the arena are also featured in the 1981 film, This is Elvis, as it hosted one of Elvis Presley's final concerts in 1977. Phish played the arena in 1995.
In 2008/2009, discussions began to build a new, larger arena for Lincoln due to mid-sized arenas no longer able to meet the demands of most tours. According to Pershing General Manager Tom Lorenz "the music and entertainment industry has pulled back on midlevel tours, reducing the number of shows likely to come to Pershing. Normally, Pershing has six to eight concerts annually, but this year will have three or four". A subsidy to cover a budget shortfall of $150,000 was passed by the Lincoln City Council because the situation was so dire, only "10 months into the fiscal year."
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