Sports facilities have a long history. They are quite diverse and have their own direct and specific purpose. In Philadelphia, such facilities have occupied an important part of infrastructure. Read more on iphiladelphia.
The old ones were demolished. New and modern sports complexes were built instead. Some serve as catalysts for economic development. Others have gradually become important architectural or engineering landmarks.
Wells Fargo Center (WFC) is an example of Philly’s modern sports infrastructure. This multi-purpose indoor arena was built in the late twentieth century. To this day, it serves as an important place for spectacles, where millions of city residents and beyond gather.
Construction history
With the entry into the new era of the XXI century, Philly has seen a trend towards development and creation of new and modern sports facilities. These include arenas, stadiums, courts, playgrounds and even entire sports complexes. Instead, existing facilities were turned into monuments of architectural or engineering significance, or were demolished and new ones were built in their place.
This is WFC’s story in Philadelphia. So, how did it all really begin?
The site of the modern WFC was once home to the Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, also known as John F. Kennedy Stadium. It existed from 1926 to 1992 and was demolished due to its unsafe condition and high cost of reconstruction. WFC was supposed to replace the city’s other indoor arena, the Spectrum. Although the Spectrum arena existed until 2010, it partially lost its significance after the construction of the 20,000-seat WFC. The new arena was even called Spectrum II.
WFC is owned by Comcast Spectacor, an American company that deals with sports and related entertainment in Philly. It is also home to the Philadelphia Flyers professional hockey club. The complex was named in honor of the company.
In 2010, the U.S. multinational financial company Wells Fargo & Company acquired the rights to name the sports complex in Philly. The old sign was replaced with a new one. Thus, the arena became the Wells Fargo Center, although residents simply call it the Center.
Prior to WFC’s construction in Philly, many prominent local sports teams played at the Spectrum Arena. At one time, it was home to the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. In 1996-1997, the Flyers, along with the Philadelphia 76ers, moved to the new CoreStates Center (CSC).
Interesting events and concerts that took place in WFC
The former CSC, now WFC, is the new home of the Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Wings. Not only do they play their home games but they also host a number of highly anticipated sporting events every year (Cup finals, various competitions and even political conventions!).
Nevertheless, the arena also hosts concerts. In Philly, WFC is one of the most popular venues for such events.
Over 27 years of its existence, many historical, sports and cultural events have actually taken place in the new Philadelphia sports complex. First of all, these are sports shows and games.
CSC hosted 3 games of World Cup of Hockey In 1996, AHL Calder Cup Finals in 2005, U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics in 2008, Stanley Cup Finals in 2010, NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship in 2014 and many others.
In 2019, WFC arena hosted the 2nd series of the Overwatch League (a professional esports league based on the Overwatch video game) Grand Finals. The Grand Finals were held to compete for the main prize of USD 1.7 million. More than 11,000 viewers attended the event. Vancouver and San Francisco proved to be worthy and set records, but Vancouver advanced to the playoffs for the best result.
Concerts are not held here as often as sporting events. The first-ever WFC concert took place in 1996, when the arena had just started operating in Philly. The American singer and songwriter Ray Charles performed on the Center’s stage. The stadium gathered over 12,000 people.
In honor of this memorable event, CSC presented a small gift in the form of a key to each of the American star’s audience members. It symbolized the opening of the new arena in Philly.
Since then, many stars of American show business have performed at WFC. These are Oasis, The Manic Street Preachers, The Screaming Tree, CKY, Mix Master Mike, Billy Joel, etc.
WFC in the midst of political events
It’s no secret that WFC arena served as a gathering place for political conventions in 2000 and 2016. In the early twenty-first century, the Republican National Convention was held here, during which George W. Bush was nominated for president and Richard Bruce Cheney for vice president. As a result, Bush won the election and went down in U.S. history as the 43rd president.
16 years later, the Democratic National Convention was held in Philly. Its purpose was to nominate presidential candidates. Back in 2015, Philadelphia was chosen as the host city for the Republican convention. A total of 15 cities applied. WFC was chosen as the main venue for the political convention.
What is in the arena?
WFC arena is quite roomy and spacious. It has 19,541 seats for hockey and lacrosse spectators and 20,318 for basketball fans. The VIP seats and club suites are well equipped. Their cost is much higher than the price of a regular seat.
In total, WFC has 126 such seats. There are 1,880 club seats. In addition to the spectator stands, the Center also houses a variety of restaurants and clubs. They are open to the public. The building houses the studios and production facilities of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The latter is an American sports network. This channel broadcasts regional reports on sports teams in Philly and informs about important sports events and entertainment programs.
In 2006, the arena was equipped with the largest electronic scoreboard produced by ANK Sport, a company that integrates sports multimedia and signage. The company provides designs and advertising installations not only for sports but also for retail and entertainment facilities. In the same year, the VIP rooms were completely renovated. Flat-screen TVs were installed, and other minor repairs were carried out.
WFC continues to be updated and transformed. In 2019, the arena opened a premium class area, which is available only to some visitors. At the same time, a new kinetic board was presented. The sports arena is confidently moving forward. They do not plan to stop there, but rather to invest more and more in their development. If you are a fan of sports games, then you should definitely try to visit them at WFC arena.