Androscoggin Bank Colisée

The Androscoggin Bank Colisée (formerly Central Maine Youth Center, Central Maine Civic Center and Lewiston Colisee) is a 4,000 capacity (3,677 seated) multi-purpose arena, in Lewiston, Maine, that opened in 1958. The Androscoggin Bank Colisée was built to replace St. Dominics Regional High School Arena, and initially constructed and operated by the Catholic parish of SS. Peter and Paul. Currently, it is the home of the Maine Nordiques of the North American Hockey League. The Colisee is also used for concerts, conventions and trade shows. There is 17,000 square feet (1600 m²) of exhibit space. For conventions, the Colisee can accommodate up to 4,800 patrons.

Androscoggin Bank Colisée
Colisée
The ABC

Androscoggin Bank Colisee
Former namesCentral Maine Youth Center (1958–1989)
Central Maine Civic Center (1989–2004)
Lewiston Colisée (2004–2006)
LocationLewiston, Maine
OwnerFirland Management, LLC (2008–present)[1]
OperatorFirland Management, LLC
Capacity4,000 (hockey)
Construction
Broke ground1956
Opened1958
Construction cost$1 million, with renovations $5 million
Tenants
Maine Nordiques (NAHL) (1973–1977)
Lewiston Maineiacs (QMJHL) (2003–2011)
Portland Pirates (AHL) (2013–2014)
L/A Fighting Spirit (NA3EHL/NA3HL) (2015–2017)
Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques (NA3HL) (2017–2020)
Maine Nordiques (NAHL) (2019–present)

History

The Maine Nordiques of the former professional North American Hockey League were the primary tenant at the Civic Center from 1973 to 1977. The Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association played exhibition games at the Civic Center.

In 2003, The Lewiston Maineiacs came to the Central Maine Civic Center, and it was renamed the Lewiston Colisee. In 2007, the Lewiston Maineiacs won the Presidents Cup, the QMJHL league championship.

The Federal Hockey League held five home games at the arena in 2011–12.

Due to renovations to the Cumberland County Civic Center, the Portland Pirates at the Colisee during the 2012–13 AHL season and all but one game of their entire 2013–2014 home schedule at the Colisée.[2][3]

On December 16, 2014, it was announced the New Hampshire Fighting Spirit from the North American 3 Eastern Hockey League, a Tier III junior league, were relocating to Lewiston and play home games at the Colisee as the L/A Fighting Spirit (with the L/A standing for Lewiston-Auburn) beginning with the 2015–16 season.[4] In 2016, the Fighting Spirit joined the North American 3 Hockey League. The Fighting Spirit were sold to Jim Cain, the owner of the Colisée, in 2017 and rebranded the team as the Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques after the former professional team. In 2019, Cain, Darryl Antonacci, and Nolan Howe, were granted an expansion team in the Tier II junior North American Hockey League and named the team the Maine Nordiques.[5] In March 2020, Antonacci agreed to purchase the Colisée and the Tier III Nordiques from Cain.[6] As part of the turnover, Antonacci folded the Tier III junior team and replaced it with Tier 1 youth teams.[7]

Other uses

Ali vs. Liston fight
Main article: Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston

On May 25, 1965, the Youth Center was the venue for the WBC Heavyweight boxing championship rematch between 34-year old former champ Sonny Liston and 23-year-old reigning champion Muhammad Ali.[8] It was at this fight that Sports Illustrated photographer Neil Leifer took what Time Magazine has called the "perhaps the greatest sports photo of the century."[9]

Concerts

On March 19, 1977, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band played their only show in the state of Maine at the venue. Bob Dylan performed at the venue on November 13, 2000, May 17, 2008 and on April 10, 2013.

Mixed martial arts

Bellator MMA held their first event in Maine on March 21, 2013, Bellator 93.

Ring of Honor/New Japan Pro Wrestling

On November 7, 2018, Ring of Honor will make their Maine debut at the Coliseé. As a co-promoted "Global Wars" show with New Japan Pro Wrestling, it will also mark the Japanese promotion's first event ever held in New England.

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References
  2. Hall, Jessica (August 31, 2013). "Civic Center, Pirates in standoff over concessions". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  3. Lowe, Mike (September 26, 2013). "Portland Pirates leave Cumberland County Civic Center". Kennebec Journal. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  4. "Fighting Spirit to relocate to Lewiston, Maine". NA3EHL. December 16, 2014. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  5. "Maine Nordiques, an NAHL Tier II team, coming to Lewiston". Sun Journal. February 28, 2019.
  6. "Androscoggin Bank Colisee to be sold to owner of Maine Nordiques". WGME-TV. March 14, 2020.
  7. "Nordiques owner wants more high-end hockey, year-round events at the Colisee". SunJournal.com. March 13, 2020.
  8. Emmert, Mark (24 May 2015). "The Maine moment that made Muhammad Ali". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  9. TIME staff (3 June 2016). "Behind the Greatest Photo of Muhammad Ali Ever Taken". Time Magazine. Retrieved 6 June 2017.

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