Giant Center

The Interior of Giant Center in October 2024
Giant Center Location within Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Giant Center Location within the United States Show map of the United States
Address	550 West Hersheypark Drive
Location	Hershey, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coordinates	40°17′11″N76°40′9″W / 40.28639°N 76.66917°W /40.28639; -76.66917
Owner	Derry Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority
Operator	Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company
Capacity	12,500 (concerts) 10,500 (hockey)
Field size	17,000 square feet (1,600 m2)
Construction
Broke ground	November 8, 2000
Opened	October 15, 2002
Construction cost	$65 million ($114 million in 2024 dollars[1])
Architect	HOK Sport
Project manager	Reynolds Construction Management, Inc.[2]
Structural engineer	Century Engineering[3]
Services engineer	Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.[4]
General contractor	Hunt/Whiting-Turner[5]
Tenants
Hershey Bears (AHL) 2002–present Harrisburg Stampede (PIFL) 2014
Website
hersheyentertainment.com/giant-center

Giant Center (stylized asGIANT Center) is a 10,500-seat multi-purposearena inHershey, Pennsylvania, United States. It is home to theHershey Bears ice hockey team, the longest-existing member of theAmerican Hockey League, operating since 1938. Giant Center replacedHersheypark Arena as the Bears' home venue in 2002.

Giant Center is owned by theDerry Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority, as much of the money for its construction was provided by the Commonwealth ofPennsylvania. It is operated byHershey Entertainment and Resorts Company, with the naming rights owned by theGiant-Carlisle grocery store chain based inCarlisle, Pennsylvania.

Giant Center has 7,700 seats in the Lower Level and 2,800 seats in the Upper Level. The arena also has 688 club seats and 40 luxury suites. Wheelchair and companion seating is available on all levels.

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In addition to serving as the home arena for theHershey Bears ice hockey team, Giant Center hosts an annual concert series and attracts well-known entertainers. Notable events and developments at Giant Center have included:

• October 15, 2002:Cher held the first concert at Giant Center during herLiving Proof: The Farewell Tour, which sold 9,406 tickets.
• 2003: Giant Center held theWWE'sUnforgiven.
• October 28, 2008: Giant Center hosted the Road to Victory rally forRepublican presidential candidate,John McCain, and his running mate,Sarah Palin.^[6]
• November 23, 2009:WWE Raw was held at Giant Center with a three-hour Thanksgiving themed episode, and returned for a three-hour Old School-themed episode on November 15, 2010. WWE has also held several episodes ofRaw andWWE Friday Night SmackDown episodes at Giant Center.
• January 30 and January 31, 2011: Giant Center hosted the 2011American Hockey League All-Star Game and Skills Competition.
• 2014: Giant Center hosted theHarrisburg Stampede of theProfessional Indoor Football League.
• 2015:Elizabethtown College hosted theNCAA Division III Wrestling Championships at Giant Center.
• 2015: Prior to the 2015-2016Hershey Bears hockey season, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts made a $4.7 million upgrade to the production system, a new four-sided, center-hung HD scoreboard, a new LED standings board and a new LED fascia ribbon surrounding the bowl, manufactured byDaktronics. The new scoreboard's video screens measure 13.52 feet high and 23.92 feet wide.
• October 1, 2016:Carrie Underwood appeared at Giant Center during herStoryteller Tour: Stories in the Round. The 360-degree angle of the stage stretched across the arena floor, providing all viewers with a good show. She returned on June 13, 2019, during herCry Pretty Tour 360.
• October 25, 2016: Giant Center hosted the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions.^[7]
• November 4, 2016: PresidentDonald Trump held a2016 campaign rally at Giant Center, which set an all-time attendance record for the arena, attended by 12,500 inside the facility and thousands more who watched on screens from the arena's parking lot.^[8] On December 10, 2019, Trump returned to Giant Center for a campaign rally during the2020 presidential campaign.^[9]
• December 28–31, 2023: Giant Center hosted Monster High Live.
• June 24, 2024: TheHershey Bears set a franchise attendance record of 11,013 fans in Game 6 of the2024 Calder Cup Finals. The game would go into overtime and lead to the Bears winning their 13thCalder Cup in franchise history.

The arena has hosted a number of musical acts, including:Cher,Rush,Trans-Siberian Orchestra,Tim McGraw,ZZ Top,Rod Stewart,Lynyrd Skynyrd,TobyMac,Third Day,Green Day,New Found Glory,Newsboys,Michael W. Smith,Josh Groban,Kelly Clarkson,Elton John,Fall Out Boy,Michael Bublé,Hilary Duff,The Who,Taylor Swift,George Strait,Little Big Town,Brad Paisley,Keith Urban,Justin Moore,Van Halen,Brad Paisley,Delirious?,Eagles,Theory of a Deadman,Mötley Crüe,New Kids on the Block,Jason Aldean,Skillet,Goo Goo Dolls,Meat Loaf,Flo Rida,Korn,Royal Tailor,Tenth Avenue North,Miranda Lambert,Chris August,Carrie Underwood,Fifth Harmony,Selena Gomez,For King & Country,Casting Crowns,Avenged Sevenfold,MKTO,Demi Lovato,Randy Houser,Gaither Vocal Band,Thomas Rhett,Florida Georgia Line,Wiz Khalifa,Alice Cooper,Lady A,Earth, Wind & Fire,Chicago,Charlie Puth,Slipknot,Phil Wickham,Five Finger Death Punch,Unspoken,Danny Gokey,Volbeat,Foreigner,Cheap Trick,Chris Stapleton,Amy Grant,Bethel Music,Social Club Misfits,Matthew West,Natalie Grant,Zach Williams,Tesla,Styx,Why Don't We,Dan + Shay,Ryan Stevenson,Jordan Feliz,Aaron Cole,We Are Messengers,Jon McLaughlin,2Cellos,Alan Jackson,Kidz Bop,Disturbed,Pentatonix,Post Malone,Swae Lee,James Taylor,Ghost,JoJo Siwa,Toto,Journey,Melanie Martinez,Rick Astley, andGreta Van Fleet.

• 
  Panoramic View of Bears Game
• 
  Giant Center before the start of a game against theLake Erie Monsters
• 
  Front of Giant Center
• 
  Inside Giant Center from the ice

Wikimedia Commons has media related toGiant Center.

• Official website

• Hershey Trust Company
• 2002 establishments in Pennsylvania
• Buildings and structures in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
• Gymnastics venues in the United States
• Hershey Bears
• Hersheypark
• Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company
• Indoor arenas in Pennsylvania
• Ice hockey venues in Pennsylvania
• Sports in Hershey, Pennsylvania
• Sports venues completed in 2002
• Tourist attractions in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
• Wrestling venues in Pennsylvania

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