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 Market Square Arena in 1982, with one of two parking garages on the middle left | |
 Interactive map of Market Square Arena | |
| Location | 300 East Market Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 |
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| Coordinates | 39°46′6″N86°9′7″W / 39.76833°N 86.15194°W /39.76833; -86.15194 |
| Owner | City of Indianapolis |
| Operator | City of Indianapolis |
| Capacity | Basketball: 16,530 Ice hockey: 15,993 |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Scoreboard | American Sign & Indicator, nowTrans-Lux |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 20, 1971 |
| Opened | September 15, 1974 |
| Renovated | 1995 |
| Closed | October 24, 1999 |
| Demolished | July 8, 2001 |
| Construction cost | $23 million ($147 million in 2024 dollars[1]) |
| Architect | Architects 4 (A Joint Venture): Kennedy, Brown & Associates Fleck, Burkart, Shropshire, Boots, Reid & Associates McGuire & Shook Corporation[2] |
| Structural engineer | J. Robert Carlton & Associates Inc.[2] |
| General contractor | Huber, Hunt & Nichols |
| Tenants | |
| Indiana Pacers (ABA/NBA) (1974–1999) Indianapolis Racers (WHA) (1974–1978) Indiana Loves (WTT) (1978) Indianapolis Checkers (IHL) (1985–1987) Indianapolis Ice (IHL) (1994–1997) Indiana Twisters (CISL) (1996–1997) | |
Market Square Arena (MSA) was anindoor arena inIndianapolis. Completed in 1974, at a cost of $23 million, it seated 16,530 forbasketball and 15,993 forice hockey. Seating capacity for concerts and other events was adjusted by the use of large curtains which sealed off the upper rows. The arena closed down in 1999 and was demolished two years later.
In the late 1960s, the city of Indianapolis studied several market areas of the city for future development and revitalization. Students from the fourth-year design studio class atBall State University College of Architecture and Planning met with the City of Indianapolis to review and select 20–26 projects for consideration. Students Joseph Mynhier and Terry Pastorino selected downtown Indianapolis as their market and designed what would become Market Square Arena. The design envisioned by Mynhier and Pastorino was later selected and used as a promotional tool by the City of Indianapolis for construction of the stadium. The city selected four architectural firms to complete the arena design with two representatives from each of the four companies. Terry Pastorino, who had worked for the firm of Kennedy, Brown & Trueblood during the summer of 1970 on the project, later joined the firm working on the arena.
The original student design included a four-story office building covering two city blocks. As constructed, the arena consisted of a unique space frame design spanning Market Street. The playing floor was elevated over Market Street by twin 1400-space parking garages on each side of Market Street. Market Street, which already was physically terminated on the west by theIndiana Statehouse, was visually terminated on the east by the arena. The final design eventually took up one city block spanning Market Street.[3]
The arena was built using a $16 million contribution from the city of Indianapolis.[3]
Market Square Arena's original center-hung scoreboard was an American Sign & Indicator scoreboard with monochrome matrix screens, similar to those which would be installed atArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum andJoe Louis Arena. Its replacement, another American Sign & Indicator model, but with a color matrix screen on each of its four sides, was installed in time for the1985 NBA All-Star Game held in the city and remained at the arena for the rest of its life, where it would later be complemented by front-projection video screens on each end of the arena.
The Pacers moved to the new Conseco Fieldhouse, nowGainbridge Fieldhouse, for the1999–2000 NBA season, and Market Square Arena was demolished on July 8, 2001, in a multimillion-dollar implosion performed byControlled Demolition, Inc.[4] It only took 12 seconds to demolish the arena completely. The arena's basketball floor remains preserved and housed nearby within theNational Institute for Fitness and Sport inWhite River State Park.[5]
The site of the former arena was a parking lot for over a decade. The parking lot held a memorial toElvis Presley, who played his final concert at MSA on June 26, 1977. The memorial was designed and built by Alan Clough.
In January 2017,Cummins opened its Global Distribution Headquarters on the southern half of the site.[6] A 28-story apartment building named360 Market Square and containing a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2)Whole Foods Market store opened in March 2018 on the northern half. The Elvis memorial was then placed on the sidewalk adjacent to 360 Market Square.[7]
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Market Square Arena was best known as the home of theIndiana Pacers of theAmerican Basketball Association andNational Basketball Association from 1974 to 1999.
The first Pacers basketball game held in the arena was a preseason game against theMilwaukee Bucks; the total attendance was 16,929. The first regular-season ABA game in the arena was held on October 18, 1974, against theSan Antonio Spurs; the Pacers lost in double overtime, 129–121 in front of 7,473 fans. The first Pacers victory in Market Square Arena came on October 23 with a 122–107 win over theSpirits of St. Louis. The 1974–75 season ended for the Pacers with the ABA Finals played in Market Square Arena andFreedom Hall against their archrivals, theKentucky Colonels. The Colonels defeated the Pacers in that championship series, winning the ABA title in five games (4 wins to 1). The 1975–76 Pacers won their final home ABA game in Market Square Arena with a 109–95 victory against the Colonels. (Kentucky won the next game by one point to win the series and advance, ending the Pacers' ABA tenure.) The Pacers continued to play at Market Square Arena after they joined the NBA in 1976; their first game at the arena as an NBA team was a 129–122 overtime loss to theBoston Celtics on October 21.Michael Jordan's return to theChicago Bulls after his first retirement took place at Market Square Arena in a loss to the Pacers on March 19, 1995.[8]
The arena also hosted the1980 NCAA men's basketball Final Four, which was won by theUniversity of Louisville. and theMidwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League) men's basketball conference tournament from 1986 to 1988 and again in 1993.
In 1987, Indianapolis hosted thePan American Games, and all of itsbasketball games were held at Market Square.[9] The gold-medal game pitted Brazil against the United States. The U.S. team of college players featured two All-Americans inDavid Robinson andDanny Manning, two Final Four MVPs inPervis Ellison andKeith Smart, and several other future NBA players. The U.S. team led 68–54 at halftime, butOscar Schmidt led Brazil to a stunning comeback, finishing with 46 points as Brazil won 120–115.
Market Square Arena was the primary concert venue for virtually all national and international musical acts visiting Indiana until its demolition in 2001. While many concerts moved to theDeer Creek Music Center amphitheater during summer months after that venue opened in 1989, Market Square remained the primary concert venue for large acts visiting the city of Indianapolis. Market Square hosted acts fromElvis Presley,Frank Sinatra,Eric Clapton,Kenny Rogers,Deep Purple,Cheap Trick,Grateful Dead,KISS,Metallica, and several Black Expo performances.
Other events held at Market Square includedcircuses,Ice Capades,monster truck shows, indoormotocross racing, androdeos.
Market Square Arena was also the home of theIndianapolis Racers of theWHA from 1974 to 1979. 17-year-oldWayne Gretzky starred for the Racers in his first professional action before being traded to theEdmonton Oilers after a handful of games.[10]
As part of a series of 24NHL games held in non-league markets during the1992-93 season, the arena hosted its first NHL game on November 3, 1992, a matchup between theChicago Blackhawks and theWashington Capitals.[11]
The first event held at the arena was aGlen Campbell concert on September 15, 1974.[12]
Led Zeppelin performed at Market Square on April 17, 1977, during its last tour of America.
Elvis Presley performed his final live concert here, in front of 18,000 people, on June 26, 1977, seven weeks before his death on August 16.[13]
TheBee Gees performed here on July 26, 1979, as part of theirSpirits Having Flown Tour.
Billy Graham's 1980 Indiana Crusade, featuring a youngBill Gaither as one of the musical guests, was the most attended event at the arena in its history.[citation needed]
Jimmy Swaggart held a crusade in the arena in July 1988. The arena was filled to capacity over the weekend of July 22–24 for each session.
Pat Benatar performed during her Precious Time tour on August 19, 1981.
Mötley Crüe filmed their music video for "Wild Side" here on July 18, 1987, which contains footage of drummerTommy Lee's spinning drum cage.
The video forJohn Mellencamp's song "Check It Out" was filmed during a concert at the arena on December 11, 1987.[14]
Andre The Giant won theWWF Heavyweight Championship, endingHulk Hogan's first reign. This was televised live onNBC'sThe Main Event I on February 5, 1988.
On July 28, 1988Run-DMC performed theirRun's House Tour at the arena withEPMD,Public Enemy, andDJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.[15]
On June 15, 1989,Eazy-E andN.W.A performed as part of their "Eazy Duz It/Straight Outta Compton" Tour,The D.O.C.,Kid 'n Play,J. J. Fad,Too Short, andKwamé.[16]
On November 30, 1990, Ice Cube and Too Short bought their Straight from the Underground tour to Market Square Arena withYo-Yo,Poor Righteous Teachers,D-Nice, andKid Rock.[17]
Troy Dixon, better known asTrouble T. Roy, was killed when he accidentally fell from the exit ramp to the ground two stories below following his performance withHeavy D and the Boyz on July 15, 1990.[18]
Hosted an EventIn Your House 11: Buried Alive on October 20, 1996
Michael Jackson performed two consecutive sold–out shows at Market Square Arena, during hisBad World Tour on March 18–19, 1988.
KISS' show on November 28, 1992, was recorded and released as a live album, entitledAlive III.
Wayne Gretzky first skated out on the ice to start his pro hockey career here.[10]
Michael Jordan made his first comeback from retirement at Market Square Arena on March 19, 1995; the Pacers defeated the Bulls in overtime in what was the most-watched NBA game on television in 20 years.[19]
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