The Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center is a 5,280-seat (8,200 for concerts) 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 ...

Mankato Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the state of Minnesota. The population was 44,488 according to the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Minnesota, and the 5th-largest outside of the Minnea ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, built in 1994 and opened in early 1995. It is home to the

Minnesota State Mavericks men's ice hockey The Minnesota State Mavericks men's ice hockey team is an NCAA Division I college ice hockey program that represents Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Mavericks compete in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). Their home arena ...

team and

women's ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hoc ...

team, and also hosts musical performances, conventions and other events. Prior to its construction, the team played their home games at All Seasons Arena, which is now their main practice facility. Until April 1, 2019, the arena's naming sponsor was

Verizon Communications Verizon Communications Inc., commonly known as Verizon, is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate and a corporate component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is headquartered at 1095 Avenue of the Americas i ...

, one of America's major

telecommunications Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...

companies. Verizon Wireless Center Inside

History

In the 1992 general election, Mankato voters approved a 0.5% tax increment to support downtown renovations, including construction of a new sports arena. Construction began in 1994, and the facility opened as the Mankato Civic Center in 1995 with a men's hockey event on February 3. The south side of the complex incorporates the restored exterior of the

First National Bank of Mankato The First National Bank of Mankato, also known as the Old First National Bank of Mankato and located at 229 South Front Street in Mankato, Minnesota, United States, is a fine example of Prairie School architecture in a commercial building, relatin ...

, a 1913

Prairie School Prairie School is a late 19th- and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in ...

building. In 1999, locally headquartered phone company

Midwest Wireless {{Infobox company , name = Midwest Wireless , logo = , type = Defunct , successor = Verizon Wireless , foundation = 1995 , location = Mankato, Minnesota, United States , key_people = , industry = Ce ...

purchased the naming rights, changing the venue's name to the Midwest Wireless Civic Center. In July 2007, the facility's name changed to the Alltel Center following

Alltel Alltel Wireless was a wireless service provider, primarily based in the United States. Before acquisitions by Verizon Wireless and AT&T, it served 34 states and had approximately 13 million subscribers. As a regulatory condition of the acquisition ...

's acquisition of Midwest Wireless.Alltel Press Release.

. 10 July 2007. Accessed 10 July 2007. Alltel paid $110,000 per year for naming rights. In 2009, the name changed again, this time to the Verizon Wireless Center, after Alltel was acquired by

Verizon Wireless Verizon is an American wireless network operator that previously operated as a separate division of Verizon Communications under the name Verizon Wireless. In a 2019 reorganization, Verizon moved the wireless products and services into the divi ...

. In 2015, an expansion of the facility began with the purchase and demolition of the adjacent

US Bank U.S. Bancorp (stylized as us bancorp) is an American bank holding company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and incorporated in Delaware. It is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, and is the fifth largest banking institution ...

building. Construction was completed the following year, and the additional space with room for up to 2,000 more people opened on September 1, 2016. The name of the new facility was originally intended to be the Event Center, but prior to opening the City of Mankato decided to call it the Performing Arts Center instead to better reflect the anticipated usage primarily for musical and theatrical events. In 2017, Verizon dropped "Wireless" from the name and the facility became simply the Verizon Center. The Performing Arts Center was also renamed the Grand Hall later in the year. In March 2019, it was announced that Verizon would not be renewing its naming rights agreement. On April 1, 2019, the facility's name reverted to Mankato Civic Center, and remained so through the end of the year. On December 30, 2019, the City of Mankato announced a new naming rights agreement with Mayo Clinic Health Systems effective January 1, 2020.

Events

Primarily, the center hosts hockey games, concerts and conventions. Notable past artists and events include

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...

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Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

Jeff Dunham Jeffrey Douglas Dunham (born April 18, 1962) is an American ventriloquist, stand-up comedian and actor who has also appeared on numerous television shows, including ''Late Show with David Letterman'', ''Comedy Central Presents'', ''The Tonigh ...

John Mellencamp John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrument ...

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...

KISS A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...

Monster Jam Monster Jam is a live motorsport event tour operated by Feld Entertainment. The series began in 1992, and is sanctioned under the umbrella of the United States Hot Rod Association. Events are primarily held in North America, with some additional ...

Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the lat ...

Weird Al Yankovic Weird derives from the Anglo-Saxon word Wyrd, meaning fate or destiny. In modern English it has acquired the meaning of “strange or uncanny”. It may also refer to: Places * Weird Lake, a lake in Minnesota, U.S. People *"Weird Al" Yankovic (b ...

and WWE Live.

References

External links

Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center
- official site {{Authority control Indoor arenas in Minnesota College ice hockey venues in the United States Sports venues in Minnesota Verizon Wireless Minnesota State Mavericks ice hockey Mankato, Minnesota Sports venues completed in 1995 Indoor ice hockey venues in Minnesota Minnesota Havok 1995 establishments in Minnesota