The La Crosse Center is a multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

in downtown

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population as of the 2020 census w ...

, built in 1980. The arena can seat between 5,000 and 7,500, depending on the type of event. The center is also a convention center. In addition to the arena, which offers of exhibit space, two locker rooms, and three dressing rooms, there is North Hall, which can open up to the arena to be used in combination; and a South Exhibit Hall. All three venues total of exhibit space. The complex also contains of space in five meeting rooms, which can be divided into nine meeting rooms. While both exhibit halls and the arena are used for trade shows, conventions, meetings and banquets, the arena is also used for sporting events,

concerts A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or musical band, band. Concerts are held in a w ...

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclist ...

es, ice shows, and other events. In addition, the center is home to countless exhibits and shows. One noteworthy event is the annual Bi-State Classic high school wrestling tournament. The center holds ten full-size wrestling mats and up to 55 wrestling squads. The most recent change to the La Crosse Center was a fifty-foot skywalk spanning over Second Street in downtown La Crosse. The skywalk links a five floor parking ramp with the east end of the convention center. The La Crosse Center is situated less than 300 feet (91.44 meters) from the banks of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

, and Riverside Park in Downtown La Crosse.

Tenants

The La Crosse Skating Sirens began competing at the La Crosse Center in 2009. The Skating Sirens are a nationally "bouting" women's flat-track roller derby team. It has previously been home to three indoor football teams: The

La Crosse River Rats The La Crosse River Rats were an Indoor American football, indoor football team based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. They were members of the original Indoor Football League (1999–2000), Indoor Football League (IFL) and played their home games at th ...

, the La Crosse Spartans and the La Crosse Night Train; and two

Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA) (originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association) was a men's professional basketball m ...

(CBA) teams: The

La Crosse Catbirds The La Crosse Catbirds was an American basketball team based in La Crosse, Wisconsin and member of the Continental Basketball Association. The Catbirds were the 1990 and 1992 CBA champions. The team moved to La Crosse from Louisville in 1985, an ...

and the

La Crosse Bobcats The La Crosse Bobcats were a Continental Basketball Association basketball team located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, from 1996 to the league's bankruptcy in February 2001. The Bobcats were the second CBA team located in La Crosse; previously, the La C ...

. It most recently housed the La Crosse Showtime of the

American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major men's professional basketball league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger, American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger in 1976, ...

. The team began playing the 2018–19 season at the La Crosse Center, but had to move from the facility prior to playing any games in 2019. The center has fielded bids for additional teams in

United Indoor Football United Indoor Football (UIF) was an indoor football league in the United States that operated from 2005 to 2008. Ten owners from the National Indoor Football League, including one expansion (the Dayton Warbirds, which never played a game in UIF ...

, the

United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictly ...

, and the

NBA Development League The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official List of developmental and minor sports leagues, minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development ...

Gallery

References

External links

La Crosse Center
{{Coord, 43, 48, 45, N, 091, 15, 23, W, display=title Convention centers in Wisconsin Basketball venues in Wisconsin American Basketball Association (2000–present) venues Arena football venues Buildings and structures in La Crosse, Wisconsin Tourist attractions in La Crosse County, Wisconsin 1980 establishments in Wisconsin Sports venues completed in 1980 Sports in La Crosse, Wisconsin Continental Basketball Association venues Indoor arenas in Wisconsin