Allstate Arena
Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rosemont, Illinois, United States, northwest of Chicago, located at the corner of Mannheim Road and Lunt Avenue, just north of Mannheim Road's interchange with the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of O'Hare International Airport. The facility opened in 1980 as the Rosemont Horizon and seats 17,500 for basketball and 16,692 for ice hockey.
Former names
Rosemont Horizon (1980–1999)
6920 North Mannheim Road
Rosemont, Illinois, U.S.
Village of Rosemont
Concert: 18,500 - 22,000
Basketball: 17,500
Ice hockey: 16,692
Arena football: 16,143
Multi-surface
September 12, 1978[1]
May 11, 1980[3]
$20 million
Anthony M. Rossi Architects
Degen & Rosato Construction Co.[2]
The arena is home to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) and has served as the home arena for a number of other professional and collegiate teams, most notably the DePaul Blue Demons from 1980 through 2017.
History[edit]
The Village of Rosemont issued $19 million in bonds to finance the cost of the arena with exclusive contracts with Araserv, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and MFG International.
On August 13, 1979, the uncompleted roof of the Rosemont Horizon collapsed, killing five construction workers and injuring 16 others.[4] The collapse was featured in the "Engineering Disasters" episode of Modern Marvels, first broadcast by The History Channel on April 20, 2006.
One distinctive feature of the Allstate Arena is its timber roof, designed to muffle the sounds of any passing aircraft descending into and taking off from nearby O'Hare International Airport.
The facility, originally named Rosemont Horizon, was intended to be the home of the Chicago Horizons of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and was home of the 1980–1981 season but the franchise folded in 1982. It was also intended to be the home of the WHA's Chicago Cougars, but the team folded in 1975, three years before the arena broke ground. The first concert held at the Horizon was Fleetwood Mac on May 15, 1980, as they cut a red ribbon on the stage during the opening of the show.
The Rosemont Horizon was featured in many music videos, including the 1985 music video "Big City Nights" by Scorpions.[5]
Insurance company Allstate signed a 10-year contract worth more than $10 million on June 9, 1999, to acquire naming rights to the arena and renovate it.[6]
On December 29, 2002, Creed gave a concert at the arena with lead singer Scott Stapp obnoxiously high and drunk. After barely performing and mumbling incoherently through the first songs, he fell asleep onstage for a few minutes and the show ended early. This performance led four concertgoers to sue the band for over $2 million, and contributed to Creed's breakup.[7]
On December 14, 2003, the floor at the Allstate Arena was named "Ray and Marge Meyer Court" in honor of Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Meyer and his wife. Meyer coached DePaul's men's team for 42 seasons and is the school's all-time winningest coach.[8][9]