IPayOne Center

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The iPayOne Center (formerly San Diego Sports Arena) is an indoor arena located on Sports Arena Blvd in Point Loma, San Diego, California off of Interstate 8.

Completed in 1966 at a cost of $6.5 million, the arena seats 12,000 for arena football, 12,920 for ice hockey, 14,500 for basketball and tennis, 5,450 for amphitheater concerts and stage shows, between 8,900 and 14,800 for arena concerts, 13,000 for ice shows and the circus, and 16,100 for boxing and wrestling. It was the home of the San Diego Rockets of the NBA from 1967-1971, the San Diego Conquistadors/Sails of the ABA from 1975-1976, the San Diego Mariners of the WHA from 1974-1977, the San Diego Clippers of the NBA from 1978-1984, the San Diego State University Aztecs basketball teams, off and on, from 1966-1997, the San Diego Sockers indoor soccer team which won 10 titles in the arena, as well as other small sports franchises such as World Team Tennis.

The venue hosted the 1971 NBA All-Star Game and the 1975 NCAA men's basketball Final Four as well. It was also the site of WWE Vengeance 2001 and WWE Taboo Tuesday 2005.

Since 2004, iPayOne, a real estate savings company based in Carlsbad, California, holds the arena's naming rights.

[edit] Redevelopment

As recently as 2006, the arena was the home venue to the San Diego Gulls of the ECHL and the San Diego Riptide of the af2, but both franchises folded. Interestingly, the Gulls franchise majority owner was Arena Group 2000 LP, a private company which is also the current arena leaseholder. When the team was disbanded - and not sold - there was much speculation regarding the closely-held company's intentions for the facility, which has fallen into disuse and disrepair.

Most of the speculation centered on implosion and redevelopment of the property, which may or may not include a replacement arena, instead concentrating on offices and condos. The city may award the redevelopment contract to another firm, following the failure of Arena Group 2000's to make money with the arena. Many developers are salivating over the prospect of landing the contract, as property values have risen substantially in the last decade.

The venue continues to host occasional concerts, although other San Diego venues, like Coors Ampitheater in Chula Vista, Cox Arena at San Diego State University (on the eastern edge of the city) and SOMA (also in Point Loma), are becoming more popular for musical events. The iPayOne Center remains the only ice arena facility in San Diego County, and hosts annual skating events such as the Stars on Ice and Champions on Ice shows, and the Disney holiday ice shows. The property continues to derive the majority of income from the Kobey's Swap Meet, held every weekend in the west end of the parking lot.

[edit] Trivia

• The arena was also featured in the movie Almost Famous, as the site where a young Cameron Crowe goes to cover a Black Sabbath concert for Rolling Stone Magazine.

• The arena was slated to be the site for the 1972 Republican National Convention, but financial and security concerns, along with the fear that the arena was too small for such a gathering, prompted the move of the convention to Miami Beach, Florida.

• The ice surface is a non-regulation 185'x85' (regulation is 200'x85'). This was one of the reasons the Boston Bruins used the San Diego Gulls as a farm team in the 60's & 70's, as the old Boston Garden was one of the only sub-standard NHL ice surfaces. Unfortunately, this has precluded the San Diego Sports Arena from ever being seriously considered as a home for an NHL team.

[edit] External links

• iPayOne Center website

Preceded by: first arena

Home of the San Diego Rockets 1967–1971

Succeeded by: Hofheinz Pavilion 1971–1975

Preceded by: Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 1970–1978

Home of the San Diego Clippers 1978–1984

Succeeded by: Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 1984–1999