The Show Place Arena is a 5,800-seat 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 ...

Upper Marlboro, Maryland Upper Marlboro, officially the Town of Upper Marlboro, is the seat of Prince George's County, Maryland. Aso of the 2020 census, the population was 652. although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger. Etymology Upper Marlboro was establ ...

, which is used for sporting events, concerts, boxing and professional wrestling events, consumer shows, trade shows, religious services, graduations and other events. Opening in 1993, the Show Place Arena contains a 35,360-square-foot (136' by 260') floor allowing it to be used for various events such as concerts and trade shows. There are telescopic bleachers which can be placed in an open position to allow more permanent seating for events. In addition, equestrian, rodeo and other events use the arena with 6-8 inches of stonedust on the concrete floor to provide the preferred footing for equestrian events. The arena is currently home to horse shows, computer shows, train shows, concerts, religious events, cultural festivals, trade shows and graduations. The facility was also the venue for the 2004–2005 season 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, ...

Maryland Nighthawks The Washington GreenHawks were a team of the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League (ACPBL) based in Washington, D.C. As the Maryland Nighthawks they were formerly part of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and a founding member of ...

as well as home of the Patriot League Men's and Women's Basketball Championship in 2002-2004, the

Chesapeake Icebreakers The Chesapeake Icebreakers were a minor league ice hockey team that played in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) from 1997 to 1999. The Icebreakers were an expansion team that was granted to Upper Marlboro, Maryland for the start of the 1997� ...

minor league hockey team (1997–1999), the

Chesapeake Tide The Chesapeake Tide were a former professional indoor American football, Indoor Football team based in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The team began play in 2007 as an expansion team in the Continental Indoor Football League. The founding owner of th ...

and

Maryland Maniacs The Maryland Maniacs were a professional Indoor Football team based in College Park, Maryland, and a member of the Indoor Football League. The team began play in 2009 as an expansion team in the Indoor Football League. The Maniacs were the secon ...

indoor football

team A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson (academic), Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interde ...

s and the 2010

Atlantic 10 Conference The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Eastern ...

Women's Basketball Tournament. It had served as the host of the

Colonial Athletic Association The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I whose full members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to South Carolina. Most of its members are public universi ...

Women's Basketball Tournament from 2011 to 2016. The arena has two Daktronics message/scoreboards and the floor to ceiling height measures 40 feet. There are three spotlights in the arena and a portable stage. The arena also contains two backstage ramps and two permanent concession stands plus a full-service bar. The arena also features ten handicapped-accessible restrooms and five private suites. There are three meeting rooms measuring a total of . Seating capacities are 3,000 for rodeos and horse shows, 5,500 for hockey and basketball, 5,200 for boxing and wrestling and up to 4,700 for concerts. A clock tower is located near the main entrance. There are 2,500 parking spaces at the complex with another 3,000 within walking distance. In 2014, the building received significant upgrades to both the building and equipment used for hosting equestrian events. In October 2022, it hosted the

Washington International Horse Show The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) is one of America's most elite horse shows, founded in 1958. The event took place every October for more than 20 years in the Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C. for two decades. The 2022 eve ...

. It was the first time in more than 20 years the WIHS was hosted in Prince George's County. Show-place-arena-october-2022

Other facilities

The Show Place Arena is located on the property of the Prince Georges Equestrian Center. The outdoor facilities include two 150' x 300 show rings with adjacent schooling rings, and one 140' x 280'show ring with adjacent schooling ring. Also located on the premises is a heated/air conditioned horse show secretaries office, permanent stabling for 240 horse, a vendor area, food concession building and an area for exhibitor campsites with electricity.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Show Place Arena Indoor ice hockey venues in the United States College basketball venues in the United States Basketball venues in Maryland Convention centers in Maryland Indoor arenas in Maryland