Omni Coliseum

[edit] Americola's celebrity biographies are provided by AmericolaWiki, a celebrity wiki. You can help contribute to Americola and edit this article.

Omni Coliseum
The Omni
Image:Omni 100.gif Image:Omnicoliseum.gif
Location	Atlanta, Georgia
Opened	1972
Owner
Tenants
Atlanta Flames (NHL) (1972-1980) Atlanta Hawks (NBA) (1972-1997) Atlanta Knights (IHL) (1992-1996)
Capacity
16,378 basketball 15,278 ice hockey

The Omni Coliseum, usually called The Omni, from the Latin "for all", was an indoor arena located in Atlanta, Georgia. Completed in 1972, the arena sat 15,278 for ice hockey and 16,378 for basketball. It was part of the Omni Complex, now called CNN Center.

This arena was an architectural marvel when first constructed, combining innovative design for the roof, seating, and the structure itself. The logo is based on the unique seating arrangement. Its exterior was supposed to "surface rust" to seal itself, making a solid steel structure that would last for decades. The problem was that some of the innovations were less than successful. The worst was that the exterior never ceased rusting to seal itself. By the mid 1990s the rusting exterior had holes big enough that chain link was installed in a number of locations to keep people from crawling though the wall to see events. Despite quite enjoyable seating and viewing for the fans, the structures were looking very dated and "old" by that time, so there was a collective effort by many parties to find a replacement.

Noted for its distinctive roof, often joked about as looking like an egg crate, it was home to the NBA Atlanta Hawks from 1972-1997, the NHL Atlanta Flames from 1972-1980 (now the Calgary Flames), and the IHL Atlanta Knights (1992-1996). The Knights were the only pro team to win a championship in the building by winning the Turner Cup in 1994. The arena also hosted the 1977 NCAA Final Four, won by Marquette University over North Carolina in what was Warriors' (their nickname at the time) coach Al McGuire's last game, one SEC and three ACC men's basketball tournaments, the 1978 NBA All-Star Game, the 1993 NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four, and the volleyball matches for the 1996 Summer Olympics. The Flames have since been replaced by the Atlanta Thrashers, who began play in 1999.

The Omni was also home to some legendary professional wrestling events, as it was the "home arena", first for Georgia Championship Wrestling, and after they went out of business, for the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions and its successor, Ted Turner/Time Warner's World Championship Wrestling. In total, four Starrcades were held there, as well as parts of two NWA Great American Bash events and Slamboree 1993. In actuality, The Omni wasn't the "home arena" for Jim Crockett Promotions, it was the Greensboro Coliseum, when Turner bought out JCP, The Omni was the "home arena" for the NWA/WCW.

Non-sports events hosted at the Omni included the 1988 Democratic National Convention, as well as Phish's 1996 Halloween event.

The facility was demolished via implosion in April 1997 to make way for Philips Arena.

Preceded by Alexander Memorial Coliseum 1968–1972

Home of the Atlanta Hawks 1972–1997

Succeeded by Georgia Dome & Alexander Memorial Coliseum 1997–1999

Preceded by first arena

Home of the Atlanta Flames 1972–1980

Succeeded by Stampede Corral 1980–1983

de:Omni Coliseum

Wikipedia information about Omni Coliseum This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Omni Coliseum". It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer). Help contribute to Americola and edit this article.