Capital Centre
The Capital Centre was a multi-use stadium located in Landover, Maryland. The arena used to serve as the home for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Capital/Washington Bullets/Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was also home to the Georgetown Hoyas, the Washington/Maryland Commandos of the Arena Football League (AFL), the Washington Wave of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL), the Washington Warthogs of the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL), and the Washington Power of the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
The arena first started to be built on August 24, 1972. Construction for the building cost $16 million. A week before it opened, the arena had failed an inspection by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and Bullets owner Abe Pollin had to get parts for the sewage treatment plant for the arena from Syracuse, New York and Thomasville, Georgia. The arena would be opened on December 2, 1973.[1]
On December 2, 1973, the first event took place. The then-Capital Bullets defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 98–96 in front of a sellout crowd of 19,035 in attendance.[2] The Washington Capitals would join the National Hockey League (NHL) as an expansion team the next year. On October 15, 1974, the Capitals would play their first game at the Capital Centre. They would tie the Los Angeles Kings 1–1.[3]
Both the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) held shows at the arena. The WWF would host their Survivor Series in 1995.[4]
On November 26, 1997, the Capitals played their final game at the arena. They would be defeated by the Montreal Canadiens 6–5.[5] On November 29, 1997, the now-Washington Wizards played their final game at the arena. They would lose to the Chicago Bulls 103–93.[6]
On December 2, 1997, the MCI Center was opened and replaced the Capital Centre as the home arena for the Wizards, Capitals and Hoyas.[7] On December 15, 2002, the Capital Centre was demolished in an implosion. A shopping mall called the The Boulevard at the Capital Centre sits on the former lot.[8]
References
- ↑ "Capital Centre opened 50 years ago with Telscreen, cold hot dogs and a win". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ↑ "Bullets Get Nostalgia, SuperSonics". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ↑ "Los Angeles Kings vs. Washington Capitals Box Score: October 15, 1974". Hockey-Reference. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ↑ "Random Network Reviews: Survivor Series 1995". 411Mania. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ↑ "To Cap It Off, Auld Langway Syne". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ↑ "Final Buzzer Sounds for Wizards at US Airways Arena". The Buffalo News. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ↑ "MCI Center to Open Doors on Dec. 2". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
- ↑ "Capital Centre blown away". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
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