View source for Blue Cross Arena

{{Short description|Multi-purpose indoor arena in Rochester, New York, U.S.}}
{{use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Blue Cross Arena
| nickname = The War Memorial
| logo_image = Blue_Cross_Arena_logo.svg
| logo_caption = 
| image = [[File:Rochester Blue Cross Arena - NW Exterior.jpg|250px]]
| pushpin_map = New York#USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within New York##Location within the United States
| pushpin_relief = 1
| pushpin_label = Blue Cross Arena
| fullname = Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial
| former_names = Rochester Civic Center Arena <small>(planning/construction)</small><br>Rochester Community War Memorial <small>(1955–1998)</small>
| address = 1 War Memorial Square
| location = [[Rochester, New York]], U.S.
| coordinates = {{coord|43|09|13.3|N|77|36|38.8|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = {{Start date|1953|02|01}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Pictures From Scrapbook|url=http://dc.library.okstate.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/PM2&CISOPTR=48&CISOBOX=1&REC=17|publisher=Oklahoma State University|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref>
| opened = {{Start date and age|1955|10|18}}
| renovated = {{start date and age|1998}}
| owner = [[Rochester, New York|City of Rochester]]
| operator = [[Buffalo Sabres]]<br><small>(Rochester Arena LLC)</small>
| cost = US$7.5 million<br><small>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|7500000|1953}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})</small><br>$41 million <small>(1998 renovations)</small><br><small>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|41000000|1996}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})</small>
| architect = Leonard A. Waasdorp<ref>{{cite book|title=Rochester's Downtown Architecture:: 1950-1975|last=Palmer|first=Daniel J.|year=2010|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-7250-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4mSd1fsXTfAC&q=en&pg=PA29}}</ref>
| capacity = Hockey: 10,662<ref>{{cite web|url=https://online.flowpaper.com/767d0721/201920AHLGuideRecordBook/docs/2019-20_AHLGuide-RecordBook.pdf|title=2019-20 American Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book|publisher=American Hockey League|website=theahl.com|access-date=January 22, 2020}}</ref><br>Lacrosse: 10,662<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rochesterknighthawks.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2019/12/2019_20_NLL_Media_Guide_FINAL.pdf|title=2019-20 Media Guide|publisher=National Lacrosse League|website=nll.com|access-date=January 22, 2020}}</ref><br>End stage 180°: 10,877<br>End stage 270°: 11,352<br>End stage 360°: 12,428<br>In the Round: 12,906<br>General Admission: 14,000<br>Floor Size: 85' wide x 200' deep
Seating Configuration:<br>
* Floor: 1,600
* Lower Bowl: 4,696
* Upper Bowl: 6,052
* Total Seats: 12,428
<ref>{{cite web |title=Box Office Hours |publisher=Blue Cross Arena |url=http://www.bluecrossarena.com/promoter-bookings-c43.html |access-date=2017-09-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915023833/http://www.bluecrossarena.com/promoter-bookings-c43.html |archive-date=2017-09-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| suites = 25
| record_attendance = 
| dimensions = 
| acreage = 
| volume = 
| tenants = [[Rochester Royals]] ([[National Basketball Association|NBA]]) (1955–1957)<br>[[Rochester Americans]] ([[American Hockey League|AHL]]) (1956–present)<br>[[Rochester Colonels]] ([[Continental Basketball Association|EPBL]]) (1958-59)<br>New York Tuck Tapers ([[National Industrial Basketball League|NIBL]]) (1959-61)<br>Rochester Griffins ([[National Lacrosse League (1974–1975)|NLL]]) (1974)<br>[[Rochester Zeniths (basketball)|Rochester Zeniths]] ([[Continental Baksetball Association|CBA]]) (1978-83)<br>[[Rochester Knighthawks (1995&ndash;2019)|Rochester Knighthawks]] ([[National Lacrosse League|NLL]]) (1995–2019)<br>[[Rochester Brigade]] ([[af2]]) (2001–2003)<br>[[Rochester Razorsharks]] ([[American Basketball Association (2000&ndash;)|ABA]]/[[Premier Basketball League|PBL]]/[[The Basketball League|NAPB]]) (2005–2018)<br>[[Rochester Raiders]] ([[Continental Indoor Football League|CIFL]]/[[Indoor Football League|IFL]]) (2008–2009)<br>[[Rochester Lancers (2011–15)|Rochester Lancers]] ([[Major Indoor Soccer League (2008–14)|MISL]]/[[Major Arena Soccer League|MASL]]) (2011–2015)<br>[[Rochester Knighthawks]] (NLL) (2019&ndash;present)
| embedded = 
| website = {{URL|bluecrossarena.com}}
| public_transit = 
}}
'''Blue Cross Arena''', also known as the '''War Memorial''', is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in [[Rochester, New York]]. For hockey and lacrosse, its [[seating capacity]] is 10,662. The arena opened on October 18, 1955, as the '''Rochester Community War Memorial'''. It was renovated in the mid-1990s and reopened as '''The Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial''', on September 18, 1998. It is home to the [[Rochester Americans]] of the [[American Hockey League]] and the [[Rochester Knighthawks]] of the [[National Lacrosse League]].

==History==
[[File:Monroe Community College Graduation.JPG|thumb|left|Monroe Community College graduation at the Blue Cross Arena]]
The arena was built on a downtown site as a replacement for [[Edgerton Park Arena]], bounded by Exchange Boulevard on the west, East Broad Street on the north, the [[Genesee River]] on the east and Court Street on the south. The property was formerly the home of the Kimball Tobacco Co. and other retail buildings. Originally named the Rochester Community War Memorial, the arena opened on October 18, 1955. The building included a full stage on the south end and an exhibition hall located on the basement level. One of the members of the construction team was a young Robert Marella, who later achieved fame as professional wrestler [[Gorilla Monsoon]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cagesideseats.com/2016/10/6/13161622/this-day-in-wrestling-history-oct-6-gorilla-monsoon-passes-away-wwe|title=This Day In Wrestling History October 6 Gorilla Monsoon Passes Away|last=Mac|first=Notorious Eddie|date=October 6, 2016|publisher=Cageside Seats|access-date=February 4, 2018}}</ref> The arena's first tenant was the [[Rochester Royals]] NBA basketball team, who played their final two seasons in Rochester at this arena. They were joined by the Americans the next year, who have played in the arena for 63 consecutive seasons.

On March 13, 1996, renovations to expand the arena took place, eliminating the permanent stage at the south end of the building. On July 24, 1998, [[Blue Cross Blue Shield]] and City officials announced that the name of the renovated arena would be Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. On September 18, 1998, the arena reopened to the public during a formal ribbon cutting/rededication ceremony. DeWolff Partnership Architects completed the project as Architects of Record with [[Rossetti Architects]] in a consultant relationship. C.E. DeWolff, Senior Partner of DeWolff Partnership, Geno Rossetti of Rossetti Architects, were Design Associates who collaborated on features of the design.<ref>City of Rochester Agreement 021363 June 28, 1995 and AIA Doc. C141 September 15, 1995</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=THE BLUE CROSS ARENA AT THE ROCHESTER WAR MEMORIAL |url=http://www.dewolff.com/Portfolio/?c=4&p=38 |publisher=DeWolff partnership Architects |url-status=live |archive-date=2012-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225054359/http://www.dewolff.com/Portfolio/?c=4&p=38}}</ref> In 2018, the city terminated the arena management contract with long term operator [[SMG (property management)|SMG]] who had been running the arena since 2000. In July 2018, the city reached an agreement with [[Pegula Sports and Entertainment]], owners of the Americans, [[Buffalo Sabres]] and [[Buffalo Bills]] and operators of [[KeyBank Center]] in Buffalo to operate the arena beginning on August 1, 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2018/07/12/city-offers-pegulas-interim-management-contract-blue-cross-arena/779635002/|title=Owner of Bills and Amerks will start running Blue Cross Arena next month|work=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle|access-date=2018-07-13|language=en}}</ref> Shortly after the Pegula takeover the arena received updates of a new center scoreboard, a new ribbon board at the stage end of the arena and enhancements to the audio and video equipment. There are plans for expansion along the Exchange Boulevard side of the arena that will make room for additional office space and improved locker room facilities as well as planned upgrades to the bathrooms, new concessions and a restaurant.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2018/09/13/blue-cross-arena-rochester-terry-pegula-kim-pegula-improvements-rochester-knighthawks-curt-styres/1291930002/|title=5 things we know about the Blue Cross Arena improvements|work=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle|access-date=2018-09-14|language=en}}</ref> Pegula has been criticized for monopolizing the arena for its own teams and disallowing other tenants to play there, which became an even greater problem when alternative arenas such as The Dome Center<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenwood |first=Marcia |title=Dome Arena pickleball club shuts down after brief run |url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/money/business/2024/08/05/dome-arena-pickleball-club-henrietta-ny-shuts-down/74671581007/ |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=Democrat and Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref> and the Main Street Armory<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-15 |title=Main Street Armory Closed Indefinitely, Owner Responds Following Deadly Stampede |url=https://nysmusic.com/2023/03/15/main-street-armory-closed-indefinitely-owner-responds-following-deadly-stampede/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=NYS Music |language=en-us}}</ref> closed to tenants in 2023; the [[Rochester Lancers (MASL)|Rochester Lancers]] indoor soccer team was forced to fold in part because Pegula refused to rent the arena to them and no other arenas were available.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Michael |date=2024-10-24 |title=END OF AN ERA: Lancers have played their last indoor game |url=https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2024/10/24/end-of-an-era-lancers-have-played-their-last-indoor-game/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Front Row Soccer |language=en-US}}</ref>

Blue Cross Arena's portable stage, which measures 80 feet deep by 80 feet wide, is said to be deeper than, and is nearly the same size as, the proscenium stage at [[Radio City Music Hall]] across the state in New York City.

==Notable events==
[[File:46th NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships at Blue Cross Arena, singing of the national anthem, 8 Mar 2008.jpg|thumb|left|Wrestlers gather on the floor of the Blue Cross Arena at the start of the 46th NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships on March 8, 2008.]]

The first event at the facility was a public trade show held in the exhibition hall and featured such famous Rochester-based companies as [[Eastman Kodak]], Haloid (now [[Xerox]]), [[Bausch & Lomb]], [[General Railway Signal]] and [[Rochester Products Division|Rochester Products]].

It hosted the [[1956 NBA All-Star Game]], the two-month finals of the [[United States Bowling Congress|American Bowling Congress]] tournament in both 1956 and 1966.

[[Judy Garland]] performed a one-night stand concert at the War Memorial on her comeback tour, the night of October 17, 1961.

A semifinal game and the final game of the [[ECAC Men's Basketball Tournaments|ECAC Upstate-Southern Region tournament]], an [[NCAA Division I]] men's [[college basketball]] tournament organized by the [[Eastern College Athletic Conference]] (ECAC), took place at the War Memorial in [[ECAC men's basketball tournaments#1978 tournaments|1978]]; the tournament champion received an automatic bid to the [[1978 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament]].<ref>{{cite web |title=ECAC Men's Basketball Tournaments|url=http://jonfmorse.com/wiki/index.php?title=ECAC_Men%27s_Basketball_Tournaments|publisher=Varsity Pride|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref><ref name="ecac78">{{cite web |title=1978 ECAC Men's Basketball Tournaments |url=http://jonfmorse.com/wiki/index.php?title=1978_ECAC_Men%27s_Basketball_Tournaments |publisher=Varsity Pride |access-date=June 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214112326/http://jonfmorse.com/wiki/index.php?title=1978_ECAC_Men%27s_Basketball_Tournaments |archive-date=December 14, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1977-78 Independent Season Summary|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/independent/1978.html|publisher=Sports-Reference|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref>

[[World Wrestling Entertainment]] has run many shows at the arena, most notably several television tapings 1997's [[In Your House 14: Revenge of the 'Taker]] Pay Per View event. In 1990 at a television taping, Mr. Perfect won the Intercontinental title from The Texas Tornado and in 1994, Diesel (Kevin Nash) beat Razor Ramon for the Intercontinental title.

On July 28, 2007, the [[CIFL Championship Game]] was held in the arena. It was the first arena football game played in the venue since the [[Rochester Brigade]] folded in 2003.<ref>{{cite news |title=Raiders Wear CIFL Crown|first=Matt|last=Weinstein|url=http://roc.democratandchronicle.com/article/20070729/SPORTS/707290372/Raiders-wear-CIFL-crown|newspaper=[[Democrat and Chronicle]]|location=Rochester|date=July 29, 2007|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref>

Local high school basketball games are played here, most notably the New York State Public High School Section V (5) Championships at the end of each season. Additionally, the arena is the home of high school cheerleading championships each year. The arena also hosts college basketball, and Section V hockey and [[wrestling]].

On Saturday and Sunday, March 8–9, 2008, the Blue Cross Arena played host to the 46th [[New York State Public High School Athletic Association|NYSPHSAA]] Wrestling Championships, just the second time the annual interscholastic event has been held in the Rochester area.<ref>{{cite web |title=History/Venues of Wrestling Championships|url=http://www.nysphsaawrestling.com/history.html|publisher=New York State Public High School Athletic Association|access-date=January 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109090933/http://nysphsaawrestling.com/history.html|archive-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref>

The arena attendance record of 11,650 was set December 3, 2003 when [[Lightower Conference Classic|Syracuse University defeated St. Bonaventure University]] in men's basketball. St. Bonaventure has hosted one of its home games in Rochester every year since 2002.

In 2016, the arena hosted the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions.<ref>{{cite web|title=2016 Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions takes center stage beginning Sept. 15|url=https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=19213|publisher=usagym.org|access-date=May 1, 2019|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327085825/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=19213|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On May 18, 2019, the arena held their first MMA event [[UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Lee]].

In addition to sporting events, the arena hosts a wide variety of entertainment events, including live concerts, ice shows and the circus.

On November 1, 1965, [[The Rolling Stones]] played here in a concert that lasted only 7 minutes, when several thousand fans rushed the stage causing police to cancel the show.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/picture-gallery/news/2015/03/31/police-halt-rolling-stones-show-in-rochester-in-1965/70728614/ | title=Police halt Rolling Stones show in Rochester in 1965 }}</ref>   On August 9, 1971, The Who played at the War Memorial just five days before releasing their classic album "[[Who's Next]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.concertarchives.org/locations/rochester-ny?page=104#concert-table|title = The Concert History of Rochester, New York, United States. &#124; Concert Archives}}</ref>
[[Led Zeppelin]] played to a standing room audience concert on September 11, 1971.<ref>Democrat and Chronicle</ref> 
The [[Grateful Dead]]'s performance, on November 5, 1977, was recorded and later released as a live album, entitled ''[[Dick's Picks Volume 34]]''. Part of the Grateful Dead's performance on September 2, 1980, is included as bonus tracks on ''[[Dick's Picks Volume 21]]''. The band performed at the arena ten times between 1973 and 1985.

Footage from [[Phish]]'s documentary ''[[Bittersweet Motel]]'', was filmed here on December 11, 1997.

===Ice hockey===
[[File:Amerks vs bingh sens.jpg|thumb|left|Amerks vs the [[Binghamton Senators]] in 2005]]
Aside from the [[Rochester Americans]], who play their home games in the arena, the Blue Cross Arena has played host to several notable [[ice hockey]] events and games. On November 12, 2003, the [[Buffalo Sabres]] and the defending [[Stanley Cup]] champion [[New Jersey Devils]] played the first [[National Hockey League]] regular season game in the venue. The game was made possible by then Sabres owner [[Tom Golisano]], who hails from Rochester, and featured two Rochester natives: [[Brian Gionta]] of the Devils and [[Rory Fitzpatrick]] of the Sabres. It ended in a 2–2 tie. A second regular season game was held at the arena on October 26, 2005, with the Sabres falling to the [[Washington Capitals]], 3–2 with 8,552 in attendance.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kolzig Has Easy Night as Caps Get by Sabres|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=251026002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818235755/http://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=251026002|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 18, 2016|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=October 26, 2005|access-date=January 31, 2013}}</ref>

On March 23, 2006, [[Atlantic Hockey]], an [[NCAA Division I#Division I Ice Hockey|NCAA Division I Men's ice hockey]] league, announced that its league tournaments in 2007, 2008, and 2009 would be held at the Blue Cross Arena. 2007 was the first time the tournament was held at a neutral site. The league continued to hold their tournament there each year through 2018 when it then moved to Buffalo's [[LECOM Harborcenter]]. Additionally, the [[2007 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament|2007 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey East Regional]] was held at the Blue Cross Arena. Attendance was low due to high ticket prices and distance from large Division I programs.<ref>{{cite news |title=NCAA Hopeful Hockey Will Heat Up Here|first=Kevin|last=Oklobzija|url=http://roc.democratandchronicle.com/article/20070328/SPORTS09/703280348/NCAA-hopeful-hockey-will-heat-up-here|newspaper=[[Democrat and Chronicle]]|location=Rochester|date=March 28, 2007|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref>

The [[Rochester Institute of Technology]] men's hockey team has played periodic regular-season games at Blue Cross Arena instead of at their smaller on-campus rink, due to the large capacity.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tigers Hockey Hits Blue Cross Arena|first=John|last=Follaco|url=http://www.rit.edu/news/story.php?id=45859|work=University News|location=Rochester Institute of Technology|date=October 19, 2007|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> The RIT women's hockey team hosted an exhibition game at the arena on October 16, 2021, after the [[Gene Polisseni Center]] was temporarily shut down for an ammonia leak.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ritathletics.com/news/2021/10/15/saturdays-womens-hockey-exhibition-vs-cornell-moved-to-blue-cross-arena.aspx|title=Saturday's Women's Hockey exhibition vs. Cornell moved to Blue Cross Arena|publisher=Rochester Institute of Technology}}</ref>

Every year, the Blue Cross Arena hosts regular season Section V high school hockey games and the Section V Basketball championship.

==See also==
* [[Edgerton Park Arena]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website}}
{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
| title = Home of the<br>[[Rochester Royals]]
| years = 1955–1957
| before = [[Edgerton Park Arena]]
| after = [[Cincinnati Gardens]]
}}
{{succession box
| title = Host of the<br> [[NBA All-Star Game]]
| years = 1956
| before = [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]]
| after = [[Boston Garden]]
}}
{{end}}
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[[Category:1955 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Atlantic Hockey men's ice hockey tournament]]
[[Category:Basketball venues in New York (state)]]
[[Category:College ice hockey venues in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Former NBA venues]]
[[Category:Gymnastics venues in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Indoor lacrosse venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Indoor soccer venues in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Mixed martial arts venues in New York (state)]]
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[[Category:Pegula Sports and Entertainment]]
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