View source for Colonial Life Arena

{{Short description|Multi-purpose arena in South Carolina}}
{{Infobox Stadium
| stadium_name        = Colonial Life Arena
| nickname            =
| logo_image          =
| image               = University of South Carolina Colonial Life Arena.jpg
| image_size          = 250
| caption             = The arena in 2011
| image_map           = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=15|type=point}}
| coordinates         = {{Coord|33|59|42|N|81|02|14|W|format=dms|display=inline,title|type:landmark_region:US-SC}}
| address             = 801 Lincoln Street
| location            = [[Columbia, South Carolina]], U.S.
| broke_ground        = April 25, 2001<ref>{{cite news |title=Crowd Revels in Future Arena|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CS&s_site=thestate&p_multi=CS&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EBF1D3C96B8D9BA&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=[[The State (newspaper)|The State]]|location=Columbia, SC|date=April 26, 2001|access-date=February 4, 2012|page=B1}}</ref>
| built               = 
| publictransit = {{bus icon}} '''[[The Comet (transit)|The Comet]]:''' <br> Routes 28, 52X, 63, 101, 201, 301, 401, 601 <br> {{rint|US|rail}} {{rint|US|Amtrak}} Amtrak ''[[Silver Star (Amtrak)|Silver Star]]'' at [[Columbia station (South Carolina)|Columbia]]
| opened              = November 21, 2002
| closed              =
| demolished          =
| owner               = [[University of South Carolina]]
| operator            = [[Comcast Spectacor#Spectra|Spectra]]
| surface             = Multi-surface
| construction_cost   = $65 million<br>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|65000000|2002}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect           = [[Rosser International|Rosser International Inc.]]<br>JHS Architects<ref>{{cite web |title=Book of 2005 Lists|url=http://www.centralmidlands.org/pdf/2005/2005bol.pdf|work=Columbia Business Journal|date=July 11, 2005|access-date=March 12, 2016}}</ref>
| structural engineer = [[Geiger Engineers]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Paul A. Gossen, P.E.|url=http://www.geigerengineers.com/paul-gossen|publisher=Geiger Engineers|access-date=January 7, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919205928/http://www.geigerengineers.com/paul-gossen|archive-date=2016-09-19|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| general_contractor  = [[Skanska|Beers Construction]]<ref>{{cite web |title=What's on Deck?|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2001/07/20010730/Special-Report/Whats-On-Deck.aspx|work=SportsBusiness Journal|date=July 30, 2001|access-date=February 4, 2012}}</ref>
| former_names        = Carolina Center (2002–2003)<br>Colonial Center (2003–2008)
| tenants             = [[South Carolina Gamecocks]] ([[NCAA]]) (2002–present)<br>[[Columbia Stingers]] ([[National Indoor Football League|NIFL]]) (2007)
| seating_capacity    = 18,000 (Basketball)<br>19,000 (Concerts)
| website             = {{URL|coloniallifearena.com}}
}}

The '''Colonial Life Arena''' is a multi-purpose [[arena]] in [[Columbia, South Carolina]], primarily home to the [[University of South Carolina]] [[South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball|men's]] and [[South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball|women's]] [[college basketball|basketball]] teams. Opened as a replacement for the [[Carolina Coliseum]] with the name '''Carolina Center''' in 2002, the 18,000-seat arena is also host to various events, including [[business conference|conferences]], [[concert]]s, and [[graduation]] ceremonies. It is the largest arena in the state of [[South Carolina]] and the eighth largest campus [[:Category:College sports venues in the United States|college arena]].

The naming rights were acquired in 2003 by [[Unum]], a [[Portland, Maine]]–based insurance company, and it was renamed to the '''Colonial Center''' after the [[Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company]], a Unum subsidiary headquartered in Columbia. On July 22, 2008, the USC board approved renaming the building to the Colonial Life Arena as part of the rebranding by Unum (which by then had moved to [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]]) of Colonial Life & Accident as Colonial Life.<ref>{{cite web|title=Colonial Center Name Change Approved|url=http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/072208aaa.html|publisher=South Carolina Athletics|date=July 22, 2008|access-date=November 12, 2013|archive-date=March 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329000000/http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/072208aaa.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History and use==
[[Image:Colonial Center interior.jpg|thumb|left|The arena floor of the Colonial Life Arena.]]
The arena first opened on November 22, 2002, with the season opener of the South Carolina women's basketball team. A near sell-out crowd of 17,712 fans saw the 72&ndash;58 [[South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball|Gamecocks]] victory over in-state rival [[Clemson Tigers women's basketball|Clemson]], with a $1 admission charge, at that time commonly used by the women's basketball team to promote major games. The official grand opening took place December 2, 2002. The men's basketball team defeated [[Temple Owls men's basketball|Temple]] 66&ndash;47. On January 26, 2010 South Carolina defeated #1 ranked and undefeated [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]] 68–62 in the arena, one of the biggest wins in South Carolina history.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kentucky Schedule (2009-10)|url=http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/2009-10.html|work=Big Blue History|access-date=November 12, 2013}}</ref>

On January 18, 2021, as part of the university's observance of [[Martin Luther King Jr. Day|Martin Luther King Day]], the university dedicated a statue of Gamecocks great and [[2020 WNBA season|2020]] [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] [[WNBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] [[A'ja Wilson]] near the arena's main entrance.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30738990/aja-wilson-says-unveiling-statue-south-carolina-mlk-day-shows-how-just-plant-seeds-change |title=A'ja Wilson says unveiling of statue at South Carolina on MLK Day shows 'how you just plant seeds' for change |first=Mechelle |last=Voepel |website=ESPN.com |date=January 18, 2021 |access-date=January 19, 2021}}</ref>

Aside from Gamecock basketball, the Colonial Life Arena also hosts the South Carolina [[High School]] Basketball Championships each year. The facility is built to also host [[ice hockey]] games, and was intended to be the new home of the [[ECHL]]'s [[Columbia Inferno]].  However, due to legal issues with the funding for the facility, the Inferno never played there.  The franchise suspended operations in 2008, but after plans for a new arena in neighboring [[Lexington County, South Carolina|Lexington County]] fell through, the franchise was finally canceled in 2014.  However, annual games pitting the [[Carolina Hurricanes]] alumni against [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] alumni have been played here.

The Colonial Life Arena was ranked 22nd in the world in ticket sales in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Colonial Center Ranks 22nd Worldwide in Ticket Sales to its Events|url=http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/011604aac.html|publisher=South Carolina Athletics|date=January 16, 2004|access-date=November 12, 2013|archive-date=November 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112215700/http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/011604aac.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was also ranked the #1 arena in [[the Carolinas]] and was the #2 rated university arena in the world in 2005, based on ticket sales for touring shows.<ref>http://sdm3.com/viewmsg.cfm?n35069s338c632468t337e1685912{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

It is managed by Spectra (formerly Global Spectrum), the facilities management subsidiary of [[Comcast Spectacor]].  The NBA's [[Philadelphia 76ers]], then owned by Comcast Spectacor, played an exhibition game in the venue in October 2005.

In 2007, it was home to the [[Columbia Stingers]] of the [[National Indoor Football League]]. The arena has hosted the Charlotte Bobcats and New York Knicks in the past.

Originally, the venue, like all Comcast-Spectator managed facilities, had its own ticketing policy, and therefore concerts were not controlled by the major ticketing industry firms.

Ticketing was provided by [[New Era Tickets]], and tickets could be purchased through the Arena's website.

Ticketing for events at the arena is now provided through [[Ticketmaster]].

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas]]
* [[List of indoor arenas in the United States]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{University of South Carolina}}
{{South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball navbox}}
{{Southeastern Conference basketball venue navbox}}
{{South Carolina NCAA Division I college basketball venue navbox}}
{{NIFL Arenas}}
{{Music venues of South Carolina}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:2002 establishments in South Carolina]]
[[Category:College basketball venues in South Carolina]]
[[Category:South Carolina Gamecocks]]
[[Category:South Carolina Gamecocks basketball venues]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 2002]]