DCU Center
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The DCU Center, formerly known as The Worcester Centrum and Worcester's Centrum Centre, is an indoor arena and convention center complex located in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts. The facility hosts a variety of events including concerts, sporting events, family shows, conventions, trade-shows and meetings.
History
The arena was built and opened to the public in 1982. Owned by the city of Worcester, it was built to provide an arena in central Massachusetts similar to the Boston Garden, which was in nearby Boston at the time. The debut opening featured a concert by Frank Sinatra, and quickly became successful due to its continued booking of popular concerts and family shows, consistently reaching Billboard Magazine's top 5 list in terms of profitability compared to venues of its size.In 1987, the Centrum was expanded. 2500 new seats were added and the outside of the building was revamped.
In 1997, the building's name changed to the Centrum Centre following the addition of a 50,000 square foot convention center, allowing for national conventions and shows to be held at the center.
In 2004, the building's naming rights were bought by Digital Federal Credit Union for $5 million.
Today, the complex features 100,310 square feet of exhibit space, plus 11 meeting rooms totalling 23,636 square feet of space, plus a 12,144 square-foot ballroom.
Events
Starting with the debut concert by Frank Sinatra, the DCU Center has been home to many events.
- The DCU Center is often the destination for many concert tours, both by classic bands and musicians like Billy Joel, Queen, and The Grateful Dead, as well as modern acts such as Radiohead, Oasis, Foo Fighters, and Dave Matthews Band. Many artists, such as Neil Diamond and Hilary Duff, have chosen to start national and worldwide tours at the Center, as opposed to other nearby, larger venues like the TD Banknorth Garden. The American Idol concert tours have come to the DCU Center every time they have occurred.
- Various live events often come to the center as well, including Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus as well as the Harlem Globetrotters, monster trucks, and the WWE, including the 2003 Pay-Per-View event WWE Backlash. It also hosted a rare northern WCW pay-per-view, Slamboree, in 1998. It is also home to many touring family shows, such as Disney on Ice and Sesame Street Live.
- With construction of the convention center, larger local high schools have been able to hold graduation ceremonies at the complex due to its large capacity in the city.
Sports
The facility has been used for a number of sports teams:
- In 1994, the Arena Football League had a franchise who called the Worcester Centrum their home. The Massachusetts Marauders played for one season in the AFL before disbanding.
- The facility was the home of the Worcester IceCats, an AHL franchise associated with the St. Louis Blues, until 2004, and will serve as the home of the Worcester Sharks, a San Jose Sharks minor league associate, beginning in the AHL's 2006-2007 season.
- The facility was home to the New England Blazers, a team in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1991 before moving to the Boston Garden and being rechristianed the Boston Blazers.
- The facility has also hosted various rounds of both men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments, as well as NCAA hockey tournament games.
External link
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