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Philadelphia Spectrum

The Spectrum
"America's Showplace"
"Broad Street"
SpectrumLogo.svg
Wachovia Spectrum
Former names Spectrum (1967–1994)
CoreStates Spectrum (1994–1998)
First Union Spectrum (1998–2003)
Wachovia Spectrum (2003–2009)
Location 3601 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148 USA
Coordinates 39°54′15″N 75°10′16″W / 39.90417°N 75.17111°W / 39.90417; -75.17111Coordinates: 39°54′15″N 75°10′16″W / 39.90417°N 75.17111°W / 39.90417; -75.17111
Owner Comcast Spectacor, L.P.
Operator Global Spectrum
Capacity Concerts:
*End stage: 18,369
*Center stage: 19,456
*Theater: 5,000–8,000
Basketball: 18,168
Ice Hockey: 17,380
Surface Multi-surface
Construction
Broke ground June 1, 1966
Opened September 30, 1967
Renovated 1986
Closed October 31, 2009
Demolished November 23, 2010 - May 2011
Architect Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
General contractor McCloskey & Company, Inc.
Tenants
Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) (1967–1996)
Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) (1967–1996)
Philadelphia Wings (NLL I) (Original franchise 1974–75) and II (Current franchise 1987–1996)
Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL) (1996–2009)
Philadelphia KiXX (NPSL/MISL/NISL) (1996–2009)
La Salle Explorers (NCAA) (1996–1998)
Philadelphia Soul (AFL) (2004–2008) (selected home games)
Philadelphia Freedoms (WTT) (1974)
Philadelphia Bulldogs (RHI) (1994–1996)
Philadelphia Fever (MISL) (1978–1981)

The Spectrum (later known as CoreStates Spectrum, First Union Spectrum and Wachovia Spectrum) was an indoor arena located in Philadelphia, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Opened in the fall of 1967 as part of what is now known as the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, after several expansions of its seating capacity it eventually accommodated 18,168 for basketball and 17,380 for ice hockey, arena football, indoor soccer, and indoor lacrosse.

The Spectrum was demolished between November 2010 and May 2011, a little more than a year after the arena's final event (a Pearl Jam concert) took place on October 31, 2009.

Opened as the Spectrum in fall 1967, Philadelphia's first modern indoor sports arena was built to be the home of the expansion Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, and also to accommodate the existing Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA. The building was the second major sports facility built at the south end of Broad Street in an area previously known as East League Island Park and now referred to simply as the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

Ground was broken on the arena on June 1, 1966, by Jerry Wolman and then-Philadelphia Mayor James Tate as the home of the NHL's expansion Philadelphia Flyers. The first event at the arena was the Quaker City Jazz Festival on September 30, 1967, produced by Larry Magid. The NBA 76ers also moved there from Convention Hall as a second major league sports tenant. Lou Scheinfeld, former President of the Spectrum, explained that the name "Spectrum" was selected to evoke the broad range of events to be held there. "The 'SP' for 'sports' and 'South Philadelphia,' 'E' for 'entertainment,' 'C' for 'circuses,' 'T' for 'theatricals,' 'R' for 'recreation,' and 'UM' as 'um, what a nice building!" Scheinfeld also said that a seat in the city's first superbox initially cost $1,000 a year: "For every Flyers game, Sixers game, circus, you name it, you got 250 events for $1,000." The Flyers won their first ever home game in this arena by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins, 1-0. Bill Sutherland scored the arena's first goal.


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