ARCO Arena (1985)

ARCO Arena
The Madhouse on Market Street
Category:Pages using infobox mapframe without shape links in Wikidata
Interactive map of ARCO Arena
Former namesSacramento Sports Arena
Location1625 North Market Boulevard, Sacramento, California
Coordinates38°38′50″N 121°29′55″W / 38.647303°N 121.498531°W / 38.647303; -121.498531Category:Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlasCategory:Coordinates on Wikidata
OwnerBuzz Oates Group of Companies
OperatorBuzz Oates Group of Companies
Capacity10,333
Construction
Broke groundJanuary 14, 1985
OpenedSeptember 20, 1985
Closed1988 (converted to office building)
Construction cost$12 million
Tenants
Sacramento Kings (NBA) (1985–1988)
Category:Pages using infobox venue with conflicting parameters#tenants

ARCO Arena (originally called the Sacramento Sports Arena and sometimes referred to as the Original ARCO Arena or ARCO Arena I to distinguish it from its successor) was an indoor arena in Sacramento, California. It was the NBA's smallest arena as it held just 10,333 people and was built in 1985 to temporarily accommodate the NBA's Sacramento Kings, who had relocated from Kansas City. The arena's first event was a fashion show on September 20, 1985.[1] The arena also hosted boxing matches.[2]

The idea to move the Kings to the building was first pitched in late 1984, with the building being described as a "warehouse under construction" by The Sacramento Bee. The arena cost $12 million to build.[3]

Located north of Sacramento's downtown, ARCO Arena was nicknamed "The Madhouse on Market Street", and Kings games in this small venue were 100% sold out.[4] Its official name of "ARCO Arena" is believed to be the first example of an NBA team selling naming rights to a brand new facility: in this case, rights were sold to the Atlantic Richfield Company, which is now a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum. The Kings sold the naming rights for $5 million over ten years in August 1985, which included the naming rights for the new arena.[5][6]

The former Arco Arena, now the headquarters of the California Department of Consumer Affairs, 2021

The Kings left this building in 1988 to move to the new ARCO Arena, built one mile (1.6 km) to the west. The structure survived as an office building for Sprint Communications. On December 19, 2005, the California Department of Consumer Affairs moved their headquarters into the building.

References

  1. "The Event takes Center Court". Sacramento Bee. September 12, 1985. p. ST3.
  2. "Chacon to headline first arena fight card". Sacramento Bee. September 11, 1985. p. C1.
  3. "Kings owners seek permit for sports arena". Sacramento Bee. December 13, 1984. p. A1.
  4. Moore, Athen; Resnick, Erika; Sebiskveradze, Koba; Wexler, Orin. "BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL: The fight to save the Sacramento Kings" (PDF).
  5. "Kings Arena". Sacramento Bee. October 13, 1985. p. B1.
  6. "$5 million ad deal puts ARCO's name on new arena". Sacramento Bee. August 21, 1985. p. A1.
Category:Basketball venues in California Category:Music venues in California Category:Sports venues in Sacramento, California Category:Defunct basketball venues in the United States Category:Sports venues completed in 1985 Category:1988 disestablishments in California Category:Former NBA venues Category:1985 establishments in California Category:Defunct indoor arenas in California Category:Sacramento Kings
Category:1985 establishments in California Category:1988 disestablishments in California Category:Articles with short description Category:Basketball venues in California Category:Coordinates on Wikidata Category:Defunct basketball venues in the United States Category:Defunct indoor arenas in California Category:Former NBA venues Category:Music venues in California Category:Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas Category:Pages using infobox mapframe without shape links in Wikidata Category:Pages using infobox venue with conflicting parameters Category:Pages using the Kartographer extension Category:Sacramento Kings Category:Short description matches Wikidata Category:Sports venues completed in 1985 Category:Sports venues in Sacramento, California