View source for McNichols Sports Arena

{{Short description|Demolished indoor arena in Denver, Colorado}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = McNichols Sports Arena
| nickname = ''Big Mac''
| image = [[File:McNichols Sports Arena 1994.jpg|250px]]
| caption = Exterior of venue ({{c.}} 1994)
| address = 1635 Bryant Street
| location = [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], U.S.
| coordinates = {{coord|39|44|34|N|105|1|21|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| mapframe = no
| broke_ground = August 8, 1973<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll27/id/142603/rec/1|title=Western History Subject Index :: Western History Subject Index|website=Denver Library|access-date=6 April 2018}}</ref>
| opened = August 22, 1975<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hockey.ballparks.com/NHL/ColoradoRockies/index.htm|title=McNichols Sports Arena|first=BALLPARKS.com by Munsey and|last=Suppes|website=Arenas by Munsey & Suppes|access-date=6 April 2018}}</ref>
| renovated = 1986
| closed = September 29, 1999
| demolished = January 24, 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/nuggets/mcnichols_memories_10_24_2011.html |title=Big Mac Attack: Remembering McNichols Sports Arena |last1=Gelt |first1=Tim |name-list-style=and |last2=Lopez |first2=Aaron J. |website=[[NBA.com]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209232253/http://www.nba.com/nuggets/mcnichols_memories_10_24_2011.html |archive-date=February 9, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| owner = [[Government of Denver|City of Denver]]
| operator = [[Barry Fey|Feyline]]
| construction_cost = $16 million<br />{{small|(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|16000000|1973}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})}}
| architect = Charles S. Sink & Associates<ref>{{cite news |title=Architect Charles Sink Left a Legacy of Modernism in Denver|first=Ray Mark|last=Rinaldi|url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_23150466/charles-sink-left-legacy-modernism-denver|newspaper=[[The Denver Post]]|date=May 2, 2013|access-date=February 24, 2015}}</ref>
| structural engineer = Ketchum, Konkel, Ryan, & Fleming
| former_names = 
| tenants = [[Denver Spurs]] {{small|([[World Hockey Association|WHA]]) (1975–76)}}<br />[[Colorado Rockies (NHL)|Colorado Rockies]] {{small|([[NHL]]) (1976–82)}}<br />[[Colorado Flames]] {{small|([[Central Professional Hockey League|CHL]]) (1982–84)}}<br />[[Denver Nuggets]] {{small|([[American Basketball Association|ABA]] and [[NBA]]) (1975–99)}}<br />[[Colorado Avalanche]] {{small|(NHL) (1995–99)}}<br />[[Denver Grizzlies]] {{small|([[International Hockey League (1945–2001)|IHL]]) (1994–95)}}<br />[[Denver Dynamite (Arena Football)|Denver Dynamite]] {{small|([[Arena Football League|AFL]]) (1987, 1989–91)}}<br />[[Denver Avalanche]] {{small|([[Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992)|MISL]]) (1980–82)}}<br />[[Colorado Xplosion]] {{small|([[American Basketball League (1996–98)|ABL]]) (1996–98)}}<br />[[Denver Daredevils]] {{small|([[Roller Hockey International|RHI]]) (1996–97)}}<br/>[[Denver Pioneers men's basketball|Denver Pioneers MBB]] {{small|([[NCAA Division I|NCAA]]) (1997–99)}}<br/>[[Denver Pioneers women's basketball|Denver Pioneers WBB]] {{small|([[NCAA Division I|NCAA]]) (1997–99)}}
| seating_capacity = 16,000<br />{{Collapsible list|expand=|framestyle=|titlestyle=|title=Detailed sports capacity|liststyle=|hlist=|bullets=|[[Basketball]]: |16,700 (1975–77)|17,387 (1977–81)|17,251 (1981–86)|17,022 (1986–93)|17,171 (1993–99)|[[Ice hockey]]: |15,900 (1975–77)|16,399 (1977–81)|16,384 (1981–86)|16,061 (1986–99)}}
}}

'''McNichols Sports Arena''' was an [[indoor arena]] located in [[Denver]], Colorado, United States. Located adjacent to [[Mile High Stadium]] and completed in 1975, at a cost of $16 million, it seated 16,061 for [[ice hockey|hockey]] games and 17,171 for [[basketball]] games.

==Sports use==
It was named after Denver mayor [[William H. McNichols Jr.]], who served from 1968 to 1983. A small-scale scandal surrounded the naming because McNichols was in office at the time.

Twenty-seven [[luxury suites]] were installed as part of a 1986 renovation. The renovation also saw the original [[Stewart-Warner]] end-zone scoreboards, which each had color matrix screens, upgraded by White Way Sign with new digits and to include new color video screens.

McNichols Sports Arena was the home of the [[Denver Nuggets]] of the [[American Basketball Association|ABA]] and [[NBA]] for its entire existence from 1975 to 1999. It also hosted multiple hockey teams, including the [[Denver Spurs]] of the [[World Hockey Association|WHA]] during the 1975–76 season, the [[Colorado Rockies (NHL)|Colorado Rockies]] of the [[NHL]] from 1976 to 1982, the [[Colorado Flames]] of the [[Central Professional Hockey League|CHL]] from 1982 to 1984, the Denver Grizzlies of the International Hockey League from 1994 to 1995, and the [[Colorado Avalanche]] of the NHL from 1995 to 1999.

The NBA's Denver Nuggets played their last game on May 5, 1999, against the [[Houston Rockets]], and the Colorado Avalanche played their final game on June 1, 1999, during the playoffs versus the [[Dallas Stars]]. Though the arena was only 24 years old when it was demolished, like most arenas of the 1970s, it was narrow and dark in the concourse-level corridors. In addition, the locker rooms and shower facilities were not updated to NBA and NHL standards. Also, the arena lacked enough luxury suites (27 compared to some newer arenas' 200 or more) and had no [[club seating]]. Combined, these factors effectively made McNichols Sports Arena obsolete.

The arena closed after the Nuggets and Avalanche moved to the [[Ball Arena|Pepsi Center]] (now Ball Arena) and was demolished in 2000 to make space for a parking lot surrounding [[Empower Field at Mile High]].

===Notable events===
McNichols hosted the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA Final Four]] in [[1990 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1990]], won by [[1989–90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team|UNLV]] over [[1989–90 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team|Duke University]], the West Regional semifinals and final in [[1996 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1996]], and first and second round NCAA tournament games in [[1999 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1999]]. It was also host to the 1976 ABA All-Star Game, in which the host Nuggets defeated the ABA All-Stars, games 1, 2, and 5 of the 1976 ABA finals, and the 1984 [[NBA All-Star Game]]. It also hosted games 1 and 2 of the [[Stanley Cup]] Finals in 1996, where the Colorado Avalanche defeated the [[Florida Panthers]] in a four-game sweep to bring Denver its first major sports championship.

[[UFC 1]], the first event of the [[Ultimate Fighting Championship]], was held there in 1993.<ref>[http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?search=yes&EventID=7 Fight Finder – UFC 1 The Beginning Mixed Martial Arts Statistics<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420182851/http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?search=yes&EventID=7 |date=2008-04-20 }}</ref>

Another notable event at McNichols took place on December 13, 1983, when the Nuggets hosted the [[Detroit Pistons]] in a regular season contest. Nuggets players [[Kiki Vandeweghe]] and [[Alex English]] scored 51 and 47 points, respectively, while Piston [[Isiah Thomas]] also scored 47 points, with teammate [[John Long (basketball player)|John Long]] scoring 41 in a 186–184 triple-overtime Detroit win over the Nuggets. The game, still to date, is the highest-scoring game in NBA history, and also holds the record for the most players to score 40 or more points in a single game. However, the game was not televised in the Denver area (instead being shown back to the Detroit market, via [[WKBD-TV]]) and was attended by just over 9,300 people. This game has since been broadcast on [[NBA TV]] and [[ESPN Classic]].

==Concerts==

The opening event at McNichols Sports Arena was a concert by [[Lawrence Welk]] on August 22, 1975.

The group [[Heart (band)|Heart]] performed their rendition of "[[Unchained Melody]]" at the arena in 1980. "Unchained Melody" was included on their highly successful double LP ''[[Greatest Hits/Live]]'' released November 1980.

The [[Grateful Dead]] played McNichols 13 times between 1977 and 1994. The Grateful Dead here for the first time on their Fall Southwest Tour on October 9, 1977. In 1979, the band was scheduled for three nights at Red Rocks, but performances on August 13 and August 14, 1979, were moved to McNichols because of rain. The Grateful Dead would return to play the arena on July 13 and July 14, 1981, December 12–14, 1990. Performances on December 2 and December 3, 1992, would be the first shows of 1992 following the band's break in 1992. The band played its final three Colorado shows on November 29, November 30 and December 1, 1994.

[[Elvis Presley]] performed a sold-out concert here on April 23, 1976.

[[Elton John]] performed here for two consecutive nights, October 5–6, 1975 as part of the "[[West of the Rockies]]" tour.<ref>[[West Of The Rockies Tour|Elton John 1975 West of Rockies tour]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=August 2020}}

[[Paul McCartney and Wings]] performed here for one night June 7, 1976.<ref>[https://www.the-paulmccartney-project.com/concert/1976-06-07/ Wings Concert at McNichols Arena]</ref>

The [[Bee Gees]] played here on July 2, 1979, as part of their highly successful [[Spirits Having Flown Tour]].

The band [[Kiss (band)|KISS]] performed at McNichols on November 4, 1979, as part of their [[Dynasty Tour]]. This was the last tour featuring original drummer [[Peter Criss]] until 1996.

Rolling Stones guitarists Keith Richards and Ron Wood performed as The New Barbarians at the arena in 1979.

[[REO Speedwagon]]'s concert from 1981 was performed here, as [[MTV]]'s first ever live concert.

[[Electric Light Orchestra]] performed here September 27, 1981 during the [[Time Tour]].

[[AC/DC]] performed here 9 times between 1982 and 1996.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ac-dc.net/archive/acdc_tour_history.php?date_id=1934 | title=AC/DC Tour History - 19 Feb. 1982 Denver (McNichols Sports Arena) }}</ref>

The arena played host to [[Amnesty International]]'s [[A Conspiracy of Hope]] Benefit Concert on June 8, 1986. The show was headlined by [[U2]] and [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] and also featured [[Bryan Adams]], [[Peter Gabriel]], [[Lou Reed]], [[Joan Baez]] and [[The Neville Brothers]].

Parts of U2's half-live rockumentary ''[[Rattle and Hum]]'', came from two concerts filmed in the arena on the third leg of the band's [[The Joshua Tree Tour|Joshua Tree Tour]] in November 1987. The recordings notably included Bono's famous "Fuck the revolution!" speech during "[[Sunday Bloody Sunday (song)|Sunday Bloody Sunday]]", featured in the accompanying film.<ref>''Rattle & Hum, The Movie'', 1988</ref>

[[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]] played the arena from 1976 to 1980.

[[Def Leppard]] recorded one of their shows here in February 1988 and released it as ''[[Live: In the Round, in Your Face]]''.

Pop star [[Michael Jackson]] performed 3 consecutive sold-out shows in front of 40,251 people during his [[Bad World Tour]] on March 24 and 25, & 26, 1988.

Pop star [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] made a stop here on July 3, 1986, while on his [[Parade Tour]].

The bonus tracks on [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]] & [[Double Trouble (band)|Double Trouble]]'s album ''[[In Step]]'', including "The House is Rockin’" (Live), "Let Me Love You Baby" (Live), "Texas Flood" (Live), and "Life Without You" (Live) were recorded on November 29, 1989, at McNichols Sports Arena.

[[Depeche Mode]] held a concert for its Devotional Tour at the arena on November 2, 1993. Following the performance, keyboardist [[Martin Gore]] was arrested by local police and fined $50 for disturbing the peace when holding a loud party in his hotel room.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://totally80s.com/article/november-1993-when-martin-gore-depeche-mode-got-arrested-denver|title=November 1993: When Martin Gore of Depeche Mode got arrested in Denver|access-date=25 June 2022|website=Totally 80s}}</ref>

The first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event [[UFC 1]] was held on November 12, 1993.

[[Phish]] performed and recorded their show, on November 17, 1997, which was later released as a live album, entitled ''[[Live Phish Volume 11]]''.

[[ZZ Top]] performed at the venue's final concert on September 12, 1999. They were also the first rock band to play the arena on August 27, 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://extras.denverpost.com/scene/mcnichols0912.htm|title=Denver Entertainment: The Denver Post|website=extras.denverpost.com|access-date=6 April 2018}}</ref>

Steve Miller Band and Bachman-Turner Overdrive played McNichols in 1978.

Rush played McNichols a few times, one occasion being March 1, 1980.

On Halloween, 1976, Black Sabbath, Heart and Boston played to a huge standing room only crowd in McNichols.

ZZ Top played on August 1, 1976, under the Colorado Sun-Day #2 event.  When BOC dropped out, the concert was moved from Mile High Stadium to McNichols Arena.  Then the Outlaws were added to the billing.  The night of the concert, the Outlaws did not show, due to some illness, so ZZ Top started early and played for at least three hours.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Denver Nuggets]]
 | years =  1975–1999
 | before= [[Denver Arena Auditorium]]
 | after = [[Pepsi Center]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Colorado Avalanche]]
 | years = 1995–1999
 | before= [[Quebec Coliseum]] (as [[Quebec Nordiques]])
 | after = [[Pepsi Center]]
}}
{{succession box 
 | title = Host of the<br />[[NBA All-Star Game]] 
 | years = 1984
 | before = [[The Forum (Inglewood, California)|The Forum]] 
 | after = [[Hoosier Dome]]
}}
{{succession box 
 | title = [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] [[NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship|Men's Division I]] <br />[[NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship|Basketball Tournament]]<br />Finals Venue 
 | years = 1990
 | before = [[Kingdome]]
 | after = [[Hoosier Dome]]
}} 
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Colorado Rockies (NHL)|Colorado Rockies]]
 | years = 1976–1982
 | before= [[Kemper Arena]]<br />(as [[Kansas City Scouts]])
 | after = [[Meadowlands Arena]]<br />(as [[New Jersey Devils]])
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Denver Grizzlies]]
 | years = 1994–1995
 | before= first arena
 | after = [[E Center]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Denver Spurs]]
 | years = 1975–1976
 | before= first arena
 | after = last arena
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Colorado Flames]]
 | years = 1982–1984
 | before= first arena
 | after = last arena
}}
{{succession box
 | title = [[Ultimate Fighting Championship]]<br />venue
 | years = [[UFC 1]]
 | before= First event
 | after = [[Mammoth Gardens]]
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Colorado Avalanche}}
{{Colorado Rockies (NHL)}}
{{Denver Nuggets}}
{{Former NBA arenas}}
{{Former NHL arenas}}
{{Denver Pioneers men's basketball navbox}}
{{Denver Pioneers women's basketball navbox}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1975 establishments in Colorado]]
[[Category:1999 disestablishments in Colorado]]
[[Category:American Basketball Association venues]]
[[Category:College basketball venues in Colorado]]
[[Category:Colorado Avalanche]]
[[Category:Colorado Rockies (NHL)]]
[[Category:Defunct college basketball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct indoor arenas in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct indoor soccer venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct National Hockey League venues]]
[[Category:Denver Nuggets]]
[[Category:Denver Pioneers basketball]]
[[Category:Demolished music venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Demolished sports venues in Colorado]]
[[Category:Former NBA venues]]
[[Category:Ice hockey venues in Colorado]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1975]]
[[Category:Sports venues demolished in 2000]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Denver]]
[[Category:World Hockey Association venues]]