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 Exterior view of the venue (c.2015) | |
 Interactive map of Grady Cole Center | |
| Former names | Charlotte Park Center(1956–87) |
|---|---|
| Address | 310 North Kings Drive |
| Location | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Public transit |  CPCC Central Campus |
| Owner | City of Charlotte |
| Operator | Mecklenburg County |
| Capacity | 2,500 |
| Opened | July 16, 1956 |
| Tenants | |
| Charlotte Roller Girls(WFTDA) (2010–present) Queens Royals(SAC) (2012) | |
Grady Cole Center is a small civic center located on the campus ofCentral Piedmont Community College inCharlotte, North Carolina. The 2,500 seat center is located near the city's center, and can host several types of events. It was built in 1954 to replace the Charlotte Armory Auditorium, which had been destroyed by fire. Originally the Charlotte Park Center, it was renamed in 1987 in honor of WBT Radio morning personality,Grady Cole. The arena is a part of the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex, which also includes theAmerican Legion Memorial Stadium.
TV SupermanGeorge Reeves and a troupe includingNoel Neill,Gene Lebell,Chaz Chase, andThe Florida Trio performed two shows at the center on August 31, 1957.[1]
On September 25, 1960,Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the Park Center after an invitation from the local NAACP chapter. He had been invited to speak in Charlotte in 1958; however, he suffered a stabbing in New York that canceled his visit.[2]
The building was an important venue forJim Crockett Promotions during the organization's heyday.[1]
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Grady Cole center served as the practice facility for theCharlotte Hornets.
Due to increasing demands & needs oftouring productions in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a local regional promoterKaleidoscope Productions paid to install the additional electrical serviceCompany switches for tours in the city's owned building, to save money from having to continue renting generators to supply the additional power from an ongoing per concert/event basis.
The arena hostedUFC 3 in 1994.
Concerts held in the arena include The Allman Brothers with Duane Allman,Frank Zappa,Black Sabbath,Bootsy Collins andJames Gang in 1972,Pink Floyd in 1973,[3]David Bowie in 1974,Cheap Trick in 1978,Ozzy Osbourne in 1991, as well as shows byDire Straits,Rush,Frehley's Comet,Stevie Ray Vaughan,R.E.M.,Warrant in the 1980s. The 1990s saw shows fromMegadeth,Testament,Dave Matthews Band,Phish,Widespread Panic,Marilyn Manson, August 5, 1994Counting Crows, September 26th 1996Beck with opening actDirty Three December 6, 1996Tool, and with Jan 31st 1998 the venue hostedJudas Priest, as well asColdplay in 2003 andGood Charlotte andSimple Plan in 2005.
The venue hosted multiple Rave dance parties with national and international touring DJs.
The arena hosted the 2007CIAA women'svolleyball tournament. The arena also hosted theInternet-onlypay-per-viewROH The Big Bang! on April 3, 2010.
The arena was home to Barstool's Rough-N-Rowdy 3 in 2018.
Queens University of Charlotte has used the arena for athletic events in 2012 while construction work is done on their usual on-campus home.
The arena was home toDeadlock Pro-Wrestling's (DPW) Super Battle event
| Events and tenants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Ultimate Fighting Championship venue UFC 3 | Succeeded by |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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35°13′06″N80°49′42″W / 35.2182°N 80.8283°W /35.2182; -80.8283