Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)

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For other uses of "Wells Fargo Center", see Wells Fargo Center.

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"Wachovia Center" redirects here. For the Winston-Salem, North Carolina building, see 100 North Main Street.
Wells Fargo Center
The Center
285px
Wells Fargo Center.jpg
Wells Fargo Center
Former names CoreStates Center
(1996–1998)[1]
First Union Center
(1998–2003)[1]
Wachovia Center
(2003–2010)[1]
Location 3601 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. 19148
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Public transit AT&T Station: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Owner Comcast Spectacor
Operator Global Spectrum
Capacity Basketball: 21,600[2]
Hockey: 19,543,[1]
Pro Wrestling: 19,514[citation needed]
Arena football: 17,597[citation needed]
Concert: 19,500[citation needed]
Construction
Broke ground September 14, 1994
Opened August 13, 1996[7]
Construction cost $210 million
($317 million in 2024 dollars[3])
Architect Ellerbe Becket
Project manager Fox Management Company[1]
Structural engineer Walter P Moore/Bernard Schwartz & Associates[4]
Services engineer Flack & Kurtz[5]
General contractor L.F. Driscoll Co.[6]
Tenants
Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) (1996–present)
Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) (1996–present)
Villanova Wildcats (NCAA) (1996–present)
Philadelphia Soul (AFL) (2004–2008, 2011–present)
Philadelphia Wings (NLL) (1997–2014)

The Wells Fargo Center[8][9] (Spectrum II (prior to construction), formerly the CoreStates Center, First Union Center and Wachovia Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

It is the home arena of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, and the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.

The Wells Fargo Center was completed in 1996 to replace the Spectrum as the home arena of the Flyers and 76ers, on the former site of John F. Kennedy Stadium (originally Philadelphia Municipal Stadium) at a cost of $210 million, largely privately financed (though the city and state helped to pay for the local infrastructure). It is owned by Comcast Spectacor, which also owns the Flyers, and is operated by its arena-management subsidiary, Global Spectrum.

The Wells Fargo Center lies at the southwest corner of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, which includes Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park, and Xfinity Live!.

Naming rights

File:Philly (35).jpg
The Wells Fargo Center as the Wachovia Center

Before its construction, the proposed arena was tentatively called "Spectrum II".[10] The Wells Fargo Center was originally named for CoreStates Bank, which agreed to pay $40 million over 21 years for the naming rights, with additional terms to be settled later for an additional eight-year period at the end of the contract.

However, the contract has gone through multiple hands due to various bank mergers; first by First Union Bank in 1998, Wachovia in 2003, and currently by Wells Fargo in July 2010.[8][9][11] Installation of the new Wells Fargo Center branding began on July 27, 2010, with the removal of the Wachovia Center signage, followed by the installation of the new Wells Fargo Center signage. Work was completed in September 2010.[12]

Beginning in the 2015–16 NBA season, the 76ers ceased recognizing Wells Fargo's naming rights and referred to the facility exclusively as "The Center", as the institution is not a sponsor of the team. The Wells Fargo Center logo decal which sits on the 76ers court is in the most minimal text discernible by television cameras, and is colored in white to blend in with the floor.[13]

Facilities

Wells Fargo Center prior to a 76ers game on the old floor design.

The Wells Fargo Center officially seats 20,318 for NBA and NCAA basketball and 19,541 for NHL hockey[1] and indoor NLL lacrosse. With additional standing-room admissions available in luxury and club-box suites, the total paid capacity increases. The Wells Fargo Center has 126 luxury suites, 1,880 club-box seats, and a variety of restaurants and clubs (both public and private) available for use by patrons. In addition, the offices, studios, and production facilities of NBC Sports affiliate Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia are all located in the facility.

Flyers fans leaving Wells Fargo Center after Playoff Game in 2010.

On June 10, 2005, the Wells Fargo Center set a record for the highest attendance for an indoor hockey game in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania (20,103) when the Philadelphia Phantoms won Game 4 of the 2005 Calder Cup Finals over the Chicago Wolves to win the Calder Cup. The attendance record was broken on June 9, 2010, as the Wells Fargo Center set another attendance record of 20,327 for Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals; the Flyers lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime, which gave Chicago its first Stanley Cup since 1961.[14] The Wells Fargo Center also set a record for the highest attendances for a college basketball game in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania on February 13, 2006, when Villanova University played and defeated the #1 ranked University of Connecticut before a crowd of 20,859.[15]

On August 1, 2006, Comcast Spectacor announced it would install a new center-hung scoreboard to replace the original one made by Daktronics. The new scoreboard, manufactured by ANC Sports, is similar to other scoreboards in new NBA & NHL arenas. An additional linear LED display lining the entire arena was also installed between the suite and mezzanine levels. Other renovations for the Wells Fargo Center's ten-year anniversary included upgrading the suites with more flat screen HDTV's, as well as changing ticket providers from Ticketmaster to New Era Tickets, which is owned by Comcast Spectacor.

The PA announcer at the Wells Fargo Center for Flyers games is Lou Nolan, who moved with the team from the Spectrum, where he worked since 1972. Matt Cord is the PA announcer for 76ers games. Jim Bachman is the PA announcer for Villanova basketball games. Kevin Casey handled PA duties for the Philadelphia Wings during their tenure.

Concerts

Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel sellout banners hanging in the rafters

The arena has a concert seating capacity of 21,000 seated and at least 21,499 standing.

  • On August 13, 1996, a private concert by Ray Charles was the first event at the Wells Fargo Center, with a crowd of nearly 12,000. Each spectator was given a commemorative key acknowledging they helped "open the arena". The inaugural concert, on September 2, 1996, featured Oasis, with The Manic Street Preachers and The Screaming Trees, before an estimated crowd of 12,000.[7] The Wells Fargo Center has since held other concerts by many famous artists.
  • On December 6, 2002, hard rock band Guns N' Roses was scheduled to perform there on its Chinese Democracy Tour. The opening bands CKY and Mix Master Mike performed, but the main act, Guns N' Roses, never appeared, fueling a riot in the arena and causing about $30,000 to $40,000 in damage. No reason was ever given for the non-appearance by Guns N' Roses, other than the public announcement that one of the band members was ill.[16]
  • In 2006, Billy Joel set a record when he sold-out his 18th Wells Fargo Center concert.[17]

In addition, hanging from the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center are two banners in the orange and black colors of the Flyers honoring both Billy Joel's 48 Philadelphia sellouts and Bruce Springsteen's 53 Philadelphia sellouts respectively.

Tenants

The Flyers playing the New Jersey Devils at the Wells Fargo Center

Full time

Part time

Former full time

Former part time

  • Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL); The Flyers' AHL development club played some regular season and Calder Cup playoff games at the Wells Fargo Center each season between 1996 and 2009 when the Spectrum was unavailable because of other events.

Capacity

The capacity for 76ers games has gone as followed:

  • 20,444 (1996–2006)[18]
  • 20,318 (2006–2010)[19]
  • 20,328 (2010–present)[20]

The capacity for Flyers games has gone as followed:

  • 19,463 (1996–1997)[21]
  • 19,511 (1997–1998)[22]
  • 19,519 (1998–2003)[18]
  • 19,523 (2003–2008)[23]
  • 19,537 (2008–2014)[24]
  • 19,541 (2014–present)[1]

Notable events

Wells Fargo Center prior to a Flyers game against the New York Islanders.

Sports

Television

The AHL Phantoms winning the 2005 Calder Cup before an SRO crowd of 20,103 on June 10, 2005

Politics

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ http://www.insidearenas.com/eastern/WellsFargoCenter.htm
  3. ↑ 1634 to 1699: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 1700-1799: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 1800–present: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ "The Building the Flyers and Sixers Play in" Prepares for Yet Another New Name". February 12, 2010. The700Level.com. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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Events and tenants
Preceded by Home of the Philadelphia Flyers
1996 – present		 Succeeded by
current
Preceded by Home of the Philadelphia 76ers
1996 – present		 Succeeded by
current
Preceded by Host of the
NBA All-Star Game
2002		 Succeeded by
Philips Arena
Preceded by Host of the
Royal Rumble
2004		 Succeeded by
Save Mart Center
Preceded by Host of the
Frozen Four
2014		 Succeeded by
TD Garden
Boston, Massachusetts

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