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- There’s no shortage of iconic venues for pro wrestling, from huge arenas like the Tokyo Dome, Madison Square Garden, and Arena Mexico to smaller locations like Korakuen Hall, the Hammerstein Ballroom, or even Full Sail University. But all those locations can all still host a pro wrestling event, and there are loads of arenas that were big deals in pro wrestling history that no longer exist — more than the initial 10 that were covered the first time around. Let’s take a look at a few more well-known spots that have played host to some very memorable moments in the sport.
Sports fans have become used to bidding goodbye to some famous arenas and stadiums as time goes by. With fans wanting upgrades, many places have been replaced by larger and more high-tech facilities. A few arenas known to wrestling fans are around, like, of course, Madison Square Garden. There are also others that have undergone a few name changes but are still around.
Surprisingly, some spots are still around, just not used as much. The old ECW Arena is still hanging in there along with WCW's Center Stage area. But others that once hosted some amazing wrestling events are long gone but not forgotten. Here are ten famous wrestling venues that are no longer around yet the memories of the events there live on in the minds of fans.
UPDATE: 2022/08/07 15:30 EST BY Danny Djeljosevic
There’s no shortage of iconic venues for pro wrestling, from huge arenas like the Tokyo Dome, Madison Square Garden, and Arena Mexico to smaller locations like Korakuen Hall, the Hammerstein Ballroom, or even Full Sail University. But all those locations can all still host a pro wrestling event, and there are loads of arenas that were big deals in pro wrestling history that no longer exist — more than the initial 10 that were covered the first time around. Let’s take a look at a few more well-known spots that have played host to some very memorable moments in the sport.
14 * Georgia Dome (Atlanta, GA)
The Georgia Dome was a long-time home to the Atlanta Falcons until its closure and subsequent demolishing in 2017. In 2011, the Georgia Dome was the site of WrestleMania 27, which delivered highs like the Undertaker vs. Triple H classic and lows like the Miz vs. John Cena main event. One of the biggest pro wrestling moments to happen there, however, was on July 6th, 1998, as Goldberg dethroned Hollywood Hogan to become WCW World Champion in a huge main event on Monday Nitro.
13 The Grand Olympic Auditorium (Los Angeles, CA)
Built in 1924, the Grand Olympic Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles served as a venue for the 1932 Olympics, but also held wrestling events over the years, featuring stars like “Classy” Freddie Blassie, Ed “Strangler” Lewis, and countless others. The arena closed in the early 1980s when the West Coast wrestling scene was in decline, but never stayed close, going on to host ECW’s Heat Wave pay-per-view in 2000 and the 2002 XPW show where New Jack threw Vic Grimes off of 40-foot scaffolding. In 2007, the venue was purchased and became a Korean Christian megachurch.
12 * Boston Garden (Boston, MA)
The Boston Garden — originally the “Boston Madison Square Garden” — was notably the home to the Boston Bruins and the Boston Celtics, but the venue also held WWE events during its 70-year run from 1928 to 1998. The only major event held there was Survivor Series 1993, but it was also a frequent location for house shows in the 1970s and 1980s. WWE stars looking back on those days tend to remember the Boston Garden crowd for being particularly rowdy and hostile. In 1998, the building was demolished and replaced with the TD Garden.
11 * American Legion Post #308 (Reseda, CA)
Indie wrestling is no stranger to armories, VFW halls, and the like, so it’s only natural that at least one such venue would become iconic. One of the best known is the American Legion Post #308 in LA-adjacent Reseda, which was built in 1928, and served as host to SoCal indies like All Star Championship Wrestling and EPIC Pro Wrestling before becoming home to West Coast indie sensation Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in 2006.
Wrestlers like The Young Bucks, El Generico (Sami Zayn), and Kevin Steen (Kevin Owens) generated a ton of buzz working in the Legion Hall, often alongside stars from Impact, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and Dragon Gate. In 2018, the building was sold, forcing PWG to find a new home at downtown LA’s Globe Theatre.
10 Orlando Arena
While Orlando was already famous for Disney World, it was slowly rising up with the Magic in the late 1980s. The Arena (later known as the Amway Arena) was well-suited for wrestling which included both WCW and WWE using it for house shows.
However, it was home to three major PPV events: the 1990 Royal Rumble, Bash at the Beach 1994 and Armageddon 2003. The first two alone made it stand out with the Hogan-Warrior confrontation and then Hogan winning the WCW World title against Flair. While it's been gone for a decade, this was an essential place for Florida wrestling fans.
9 Richfield Coliseum
It may not have been among the biggest places, but the Richfield Coliseum was home to one of the most important moments in WWE history. In 1987, this Ohio arena (longtime home to the Cleveland Cavaliers) was home to the first-ever Survivor Series event.
It hosted it again the following year as well as in 1992. WWE also used it for various house shows and tapings for some good crowds. Closed in the mid-1990s, the Coliseum was gone by 2000 yet it still stands as important for WWE's PPV history.
8 Philadelphia Spectrum
For years, whenever WWE came to Philadelphia, the Spectrum was the place to be. This huge Philly arena could pack in fans for house shows and some TV tapings and was also home to SummerSlam 1990. There was also King of the Ring 1995, where the Philly audience let their harsh feelings on the show be heard by millions of fans watching at home.
WCW did use it for some Nitro and Thunder tapings, but it was more of a WWE stronghold. Closed in 2009 and demolished a year later, the Spectrum still had a warm place in the hearts of many Philly wrestling fans for the great history WWE had there.
7 Texas Stadium
No moment in World Class Championship Wrestling history was as important as the first Parade of Champions. Kerry Von Erich defeated Ric Flair for the NWA title in honor of his late brother David. The spot was Texas Stadium, packed with nearly 50,000 rabid fans.
For years afterward, Texas Stadium hosted the Parade among other WCCW events and was the Cowboys' home. Sadly, once Dallas got AT&T Stadium, there was no need for this, and it was imploded in 2010, yet it's still remembered for that favorite wrestling moment.
6 Joe Louis Arena
Named after the legendary boxer, the Joe Louis Arena stood as one of Detroit's most famous sports and concert venues for years. The Red Wings made it their home for decades and it was of little surprise wrestling would use it too.
WWE used it the most, from house shows to three Survivor Series programs. WCW also had it for Halloween Havoc 1994, and numerous house shows as well. It was replaced by Little Caesars Arena and taken apart in 2019, yet fitting a spot named after a famous boxer hosted a lot of wrestling action.
5 Philadelphia Civic Center
Alongside the Spectrum, the Civic Center was one of the best spots to watch wrestling in the City of Brotherly Love. While WWE enjoyed it from time to time, it was usually the spot WCW used for their shows in Philadelphia.
That included the first Halloween Havoc PPV and one in 1992, along with Slamboree 1994. It helped WCW get some work in the city and did a fine job with action. Unfortunately, the Civic Center was closed in the late '90s and torn down in 2005. Its various interior items are now spread out while the spot should be remembered for starting one of WCW's most famous PPVs.
4 Reunion Arena
Before WWE or even Jim Crockett were doing regular big shows, World Class Championship Wrestling would hold their "Star Wars" events with some major events. The Christmas 1982 show featured the cage match between Kerry Von Erich and Ric Flair that kicked off the epic Von Erich-Freebirds war.
Later shows continued to feature the best of WCCW all the way to the territory's end. Also home for the Dallas Stars and Dallas Mavericks, Reunion Arena was demolished in 2009, but WCCW fans remember it as the start of a magical era for wrestling.
3 Pontiac Silverdome
There is debate on how real the 93,173 attendance number for WrestleMania 3 is. But there's no denying how the Silverdome aided in making that show one of the most legendary in wrestling history. It was stunning seeing wrestlers amid that massive crowd and WWE still boasts of it.
Home to the Detroit Lions and Pistons for years, The Silverdome hosted everything from music concerts to a Super Bowl to a visit from the Pope before finally being demolished in 2017. Yet that single wrestling show was enough to make it one of the most important sites in the history of WWE.
2 Atlanta Omni
From Jim Crockett's heyday to WCW's prime, it was impossible to watch a WCW show and not hear a mention of the Atlanta Omni with WCW trying to make it the "Madison Square Garden of the South." This fantastic arena was home to scores of great WCW shows, from big house events to PPVs.
There were historic moments there with four Starrcades, the first Slamboree, and the first-ever War Games match. It finally closed in 1997 with the Omni-Center Complex still hanging around but not that specific arena. Still, if any venue was iconic for WCW, the Omni is high on that list.
1 Dallas Sportatorium
For years, World Class Championship Wrestling was one of the hottest promotions around. They boasted of the Sportatorium being a "world-class" arena when it was really little more than a barn with about a thousand people in it. The Sportatorium didn't even have guardrails, just a rope holding back crowds from the action.
But it was home to amazing events and held on all the way to WCCW becoming the USWA. After a fire in 2001, it was abandoned for years before finally being demolished in 2003 yet the memories of the epic clashes within still echo today.