Denver Coliseum

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Indoor arena in Denver, Colorado

title: "Denver Coliseum" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1951-establishments-in-colorado", "college-basketball-venues-in-colorado", "ice-hockey-venues-in-colorado", "indoor-arenas-in-colorado", "indoor-soccer-venues-in-the-united-states", "denver-invaders", "denver-pioneers-basketball", "sports-venues-completed-in-1951", "sports-venues-in-denver"] description: "Indoor arena in Denver, Colorado" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_Coliseum" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Indoor arena in Denver, Colorado ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox venue"]

FieldValue
nameDenver Coliseum
logo_imageDenver-Coliseum-Logo.png
logo_size125px
logo_altCurrent logo for the Denver Coliseum
imageDenverColiseum.JPG
image_size250px
image_altView of entrances to the Denver Coliseum, shown in 2009
captionExterior view of venue (c.2009)
mapframeno
former_namesDenver Municipal Stadium (planning/construction)
address4600 Humboldt St
Denver, CO 80216
locationElyria-Swansea
coordinates
elevation
ownerCity and County of Denver
operatorDenver Arts & Venues
capacity10,500

| | dimensions | 122400 sqft | | broke_ground | | | opened | (Dedicated January 10, 1952) | | cost | $3 million ($ in dollars) | | architect | Roland Linder | | structural_engineer | Lorimer and Rose | | general_contractor | Roberts & Schaefer Company | | tenants | Denver Mavericks (IHL) (1959) Denver Invaders (WHL) (1963-64) Denver Rockets/Nuggets (ABA) (1967-75) Denver Spurs (WHL/CHL) (1968-75) Denver/Colorado Rangers (IHL) (1987-89) Denver Pioneers MIH (NCAA) (1997-99) Denver Pioneers MBB (NCAA) (1997-99) Denver Pioneers WBB (NCAA) (1997-99) Colorado Wildcats (PIFL) (1998) Denver Aviators (NIFL) (2007) Denver Cutthroats (CHL) (2012-14) Colorado Blizzard (M2) (2017-18) Colorado Spartans (NAL) (2025-present) | | website | | ::

| name = Denver Coliseum | native_name = | native_name_lang = | nickname = | logo_image = Denver-Coliseum-Logo.png | logo_size = 125px | logo_upright = | logo_alt = Current logo for the Denver Coliseum | logo_caption = | image = DenverColiseum.JPG | image_size = 250px | image_upright = | image_alt = View of entrances to the Denver Coliseum, shown in 2009 | caption = Exterior view of venue (c.2009) | image_map = | map_size = | map_alt = | map_caption = | mapframe = no | pushpin_map = | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_relief = | fullname = | former_names = Denver Municipal Stadium (planning/construction) | address = 4600 Humboldt St Denver, CO 80216 | city = | country = | location = Elyria-Swansea | coordinates = | elevation = | public_transit = | parking = | owner = City and County of Denver | operator = Denver Arts & Venues | designation = | type = | event = | seating_type = | suites = | capacity = 10,500

| record_attendance = | dimensions = 122400 sqft | field_shape = | acreage = | roof = | surface = | scoreboard = | screens = | current_use = | production = | broke_ground = | built = | opened = (Dedicated January 10, 1952) | renovated = | expanded = | closed = | demolished = | rebuilt = | years_active = | cost = $3 million ($ in dollars) | architect = Roland Linder | builder = | project_manager = | structural_engineer = Lorimer and Rose | services_engineer = | general_contractor = Roberts & Schaefer Company | main_contractors = | tenants = Denver Mavericks (IHL) (1959) Denver Invaders (WHL) (1963-64) Denver Rockets/Nuggets (ABA) (1967-75) Denver Spurs (WHL/CHL) (1968-75) Denver/Colorado Rangers (IHL) (1987-89) Denver Pioneers MIH (NCAA) (1997-99) Denver Pioneers MBB (NCAA) (1997-99) Denver Pioneers WBB (NCAA) (1997-99) Colorado Wildcats (PIFL) (1998) Denver Aviators (NIFL) (2007) Denver Cutthroats (CHL) (2012-14) Colorado Blizzard (M2) (2017-18) Colorado Spartans (NAL) (2025-present) | website = | embedded = The Denver Coliseum is an indoor arena located in Denver, Colorado. The arena was built from 1949 to 1951, where the Denver Pacific Railway broke ground on its Cheyenne line in 1868.

Opening on November 8, 1951, with a six-day run of Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies. Today, the venue is an integral venue of the National Western Stock Show and hosts a multitude of other events including: commencement ceremonies, rodeos, ice shows, motor shows, circuses, concerts, motivational seminars, dances, exhibits and trade shows.

Notables include: CHSAA high school volleyball, spirit and basketball playoffs and championships, Disney on Ice, Denver March Pow Wow, Rocky Mountain Percussion Association State Championship Finals, the Mineral, Fossil, Gem, and Jewelry Show, cheerleading & gymnastic competitions and roller derby.

After the McNichols Sports Arena opened in 1975, the venue continued on as an alternate venue to the larger arena for events requiring less seating or overall space. This continues today after the Ball Arena opened in 1999, and the subsequent demolition of McNichols in 2000.

History

On January 10, 1952, June Haver and Walter O'Keefe hosted the official dedication on the eve of the first stock show. Over the years the arena hosted many celebrities and artists including:

The arena has been home ice to several hockey teams from various leagues including the Denver Cutthroats (2012–14), the Denver/Colorado Rangers (1987–89), the Denver Spurs (1968-75), the Denver Invaders (1963–64) and the Denver Mavericks (1959). The University of Denver Pioneers college hockey team played many of its home games at the Coliseum during the renovation of the University of Denver Arena in 1972-73, and when the current Magness Arena was under construction, between 1997 and 1999. The USA Curling Men's and Women's National Championships were held at the Denver Coliseum during February 5–11, 2023.

The coliseum was an annual stop for the historic Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus and, starting in 2024 will begin hosting Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey presents The Greatest Show On Earth. The venue also hosted the WCW's Spring Stampede (1998), the Colorado Wildcats of the Professional Indoor Football League and the Colorado Spartans (2025) of the National Arena League.

President Dwight Eisenhower stopped in Denver on his tour of western states in support of Republican candidates on October 8, 1962. In 1976, a planned Marvin Gaye concert was canceled after learning that Gaye was at his home in Los Angeles sleeping, led to rioting at the coliseum, a series of lawsuits for fraud and deceiving ticket buyers, and giving the media a field day as the top story. On April 5, 2005, after a women's boxing match held at the coliseum, boxer Becky Zerlentes died of her injuries following a third-round knockout loss to Heather Schmitz. Santana played the Denver Coliseum six times, securing the title of "House Band".

Denver Department of Public Health & Environment utilized the Coliseum as a shelter for people experiencing homelessness from 2020 to 2021 to provide safe distancing which existing shelters could not provide in response to COVID-19, as a warming shelter for two nights of extreme cold during December 21–23, 2022.

References

References

  1. (2008). "The Historic Denver Coliseum - Venue Guide 2008". Official Website of the Denver Coliseum.
  2. . (June 2, 2007). ["ARCHITECTS OF COLORADO"](https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2017/Architects_linder.pdf). *COLORADO HISTORICAL SOCIETY*.
  3. . (1949). ["Denver Coliseum groundbreaking"](https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/image/denver-coliseum-groundbreaking). *History Colorado*.
  4. . (2012). ["Denver Coliseum – Denver"](https://www.uncovercolorado.com/activities/denver-coliseum/).
  5. . (2025). ["Denver Coliseum"](https://explory.world/poi/denver-coliseum/).
  6. (March 9, 2017). "Denver Coliseum's glorious history spans music, rodeos, sports and much, much more". The Denver Post.
  7. (January 6, 2012). "As Denver Coliseum turns 60, many years still seen ahead".
  8. . (2023). ["Explore the Coliseum - The Venue"](https://www.denvercoliseum.com/explore/the-venue).
  9. "DENVER SET TO HOST 2023 USA CURLING MEN'S AND WOMEN'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS".
  10. [http://denverradio.tripod.com/kdko.html "The KDKO Story"]
  11. Sink, Mindy. (2005-04-06). "Female Boxer Injured in Fight Dies Afterward". The New York Times.
  12. "Mayor: City at “breaking point” - The Denver Post".
  13. (2022-12-19). "Denver will open Coliseum as emergency shelter ahead of dangerous arctic cold coming Wednesday".
  14. (2022-12-22). "Just how cold did it get? The lowest temperatures recorded in Colorado on Dec. 22, 2022.".

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1951-establishments-in-coloradocollege-basketball-venues-in-coloradoice-hockey-venues-in-coloradoindoor-arenas-in-coloradoindoor-soccer-venues-in-the-united-statesdenver-invadersdenver-pioneers-basketballsports-venues-completed-in-1951sports-venues-in-denver