The Coliseum at Richfield (also known as Richfield Coliseum) was an arena located in Richfield Township in Summit County, Ohio, roughly halfway between Cleveland and Akron. Opened in late 1973, it closed in 1999, and was demolished in 2002. “Coliseum Bodes New Life-style for Sports Fans.”. The 2010 study estimated the cost of demolition at $78 million, including $10 million for asbestos removal and $10 million to put a “plaza” on the site after demolition. The Coliseum at Richfield (also known as Richfield Coliseum) was an arena located in Richfield Township in Summit County, Ohio, roughly halfway between Cleveland and Akron. The CAVS practice court and administrative offices were stripped of their pre-cast skin, and the steel frame was cut down for processing as scrap metal. In 1967 the NBA awarded an expansion franchise to Seattle and the team known as the SuperSonics settled into the Coliseum as their new home. The Cavaliers returned to downtown Cleveland in 1994 after twenty seasons in Richfield, and the Coliseum was torn down five years later in 1999. The entrance drives were removed and the existing roadway swale continued for the full length of the frontage. This desire was motivated by the revenue produced by the events held downtown and was aligned with their attempts to revitalize the area. The former address of Richfield Coliseum was 2923 Streetsboro Road in Richfield, Ohio. I once read an eyewitness account from somebody who attended the 1988 Survivor Series live at the Richfield Coliseum. Both missed Richfield and the Coliseum after the Cavs set up shop at Gateway in 1994. Coliseum Demolition The Coliseum of Richfield was home to many memorable sporting and entertainment events, from Frank Sinatra to the Cleveland Cavaliers, in … The massive arena would require the full scope of Independence Excavating’s structural and selective demolition services to bring the structure down safely and cleanly. Following a dramatic demolition, the site was restored to nature, home to swaying grasses and singing birds. Mileti wanted the Richfield Coliseum to be “the big brother to Madison Square Garden,” not only a testament to his perceived quality of the new location, but its upcoming cultural significance. Another significant event that took place in the Coliseum was a heavyweight boxing match between Muhammed Ali and Chuck Wepner. https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/886, Center for Public History + Digital Humanities, Graeff, Burt. Nick Mileti was the driving force behind the Coliseum's construction, believing that its location in northern Summit County south of Cleveland near the confluence of the Ohio Turnpike and Interstates 77 and 271 was ideally suited given the growth of urban sp… The site was chosen by Cleveland Cavaliers and Indians owner Nick Mileti, who saw its northern Summit County location as optimal for bringing in the largest possible number of Northeast Ohioans to events because, as he noted, no one lived in Lake Erie. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE richfield coliseum content today, guys! Ultimately city officials were unable to prevent Mileti from relocating his teams to Richfield, and the twenty-thousand–seat venue was constructed in Summit County. Richfield Coliseum stood vacant for five years before finally meeting it's demise in 1999 after the Cavaliers bolted for downtown Cleveland. It is part of a larger exhibition complex known as the Seattle Center that was built to host the 1962 World's Fair. June 12, 1978 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH (with Pure Prairie League) June 14, 1978 New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT June 15, 1978 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (with Pure Prairie League) June 16, 1978 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD (with Pure Prairie League) The 335-foot clear span roof was supported by six main roof trusses weighing nearly 250 tons each. The site was left basically flat with a gentle grade draining to the north and east. It was the home of the Cavaliers, Barons (NHL), Crunch, and more. The Coliseum was an important building both locally and nationally from when it was first proposed by Nick Mileti, and embodied the national trend of sports teams fleeing city centers in the 1970s. The construction of the Richfield Coliseum was a hot topic in Northeast Ohio in the early 1970s, mainly due to its location in Richfield Township, which is over twenty-five miles south of downtown Cleveland. Wepner’s life and match against Ali has been widely credited as the inspiration for the Rocky film franchise, which depicted an underdog Rocky Balboa going toe-to-toe with the champion Apollo Creed. Loge levels, administration offices, and numerous electrical and mechanical equipment were stripped and removed safely. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park now owns the site and there are no remnants of the arena since it's demolition. For 25 years, the hulking shape of the Richfield Coliseum hunkered incongruously above the cornfields of northeast Ohio, visible for miles above the plunging ravines, hidden streams, and dense, leaf-carpeted forests of the Cuyahoga River Valley. It was home to the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, WHA's Cleveland Crusaders, NHL's Cleveland Barons, MISL's Cleveland Force, MISL, & NPSL's Cleveland Crunch, the IHL's Cleveland Lumberjacks, and the AFL's Cleveland … When Bird discusses his favorite place to play he is not talking about the Celtics’ Boston Garden where he won three NBA championships, but is instead referring to the Richfield Coliseum. Concerts were not the only significant events that took place at the Coliseum, it also had its fair share of historic sports moments. i have many fond memories of being there… from the “miracle of richfield” (got to see the cavs defeat the bullets), to my very first concert (kiss in ’79), to my high school graduation in ’85. Your responsiveness and commitment to a high quality result, and the corresponding commitment of your staff and subcontractors is highly appreciated and recognized by all of us at TPL.”. As the demolition of the Coliseum of Richfield shows, this greening of America is not universally appreciated. Get Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH, USA setlists - view them, share them, discuss them with other Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH, USA fans for free on setlist.fm! It was home to the National Basketball Association's Cleveland Cavaliers, WHA's Cleveland Crusaders, NHL's Cleveland Barons, Major Soccer League's Cleveland Force, and other teams. Twenty years of historic events occurred within its concrete walls, events that would not only hold significance for Northeast Ohio but the nation as a whole. with us on LinkedIn. The on-site wastewater treatment plant was deactivated and removed along with the 600,000 gallons of wastewater. 100-acre entertainment and sports complex returned to natural woodland and meadow setting. The highly skilled burners of Independence Excavating isolated each main truss by cutting smaller trusses and bar joists. “I would like to take this opportunity to formally thank you for your efforts to make the project a successful one for the Trust for Public Land and the National Park Service. Demolition (Ax, Crush & Smash) defeat Jim McPherson, Jose Luis Rivera & Ron Garvin (5:31) WWF Prime Time Wrestling - TV-Show @ Memorial Auditorium in Utica, New York, USA 46 Cast-in-place concrete floors, walls, and masonry partitions were reduced to rubble and used to backfill the lower bowl of the arena. The Richfield Coliseum opened 1974 until 1994. The wooden slats of the basketball court and numerous truckloads of wood from courtside platforms were removed intact and donated to a nonprofit group and used in making wooden children’s toys. After the building was down and the arena void filled with masonry and concrete rubble, the entire former footprint was covered with a minimum of 36 inches of on-site fill. Demolition (Ax, Crush & Smash) defeat BJ Grant, Rico Federico & Scott Colontonio WWF Wrestling Challenge #211 - TV-Show @ Wheeling Civic Center in Wheeling, West Virginia, USA 97 Connect Twenty years of historic events occurred within its concrete walls, events that would not only hold significance for Northeast Ohio but the nation as a whole. The steel trusses were then safely processed for scrap and removed. ... Demolition slams Fuji as they're counted out at 39:33, leaving the Powers of Pain against the jobber team of the Conquistadors. But after the redevelopment of downtown Cleveland, the sports and entertainment complex was decommissioned and purchased by the Trust for Public Land, a San Francisco-based land bank. Perhaps Nick Mileti’s 1974 prediction of a venue on par with Madison Square Garden wasn’t too far from the truth. Restoration of the building site and parking lot created a new grassland habitat that is benefiting many bird species, several of which have been in decline due to loss of habitat. The seating capacity was 18,756 for basketball and 18,130 for hockey.The elevation at street level was approximately 160 feet (50 m) above sea level. It was the main arena for the Northeast Ohio region until 1994, when it was replaced by Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland. Larry Bird praised the venue often both during and after his playing career, frequently expressing his affinity for the arena, saying if one were to create the perfect arena it would be in the Coliseum’s image. Demolition of the Richfield Coliseum Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. March 30, 2001 - The structure that houses KeyArena opened in 1962 as the Seattle Center Coliseum. The demolition of the Coliseum was less controversial than its construction, yet many came to the site in Richfield to see it one last time. Nearly 200,000 tons of asphalt and stone base was processed on site for recycling. The demolition of the Richfield Coliseum in 1999 brought an unexpected benefit. Richfield, Ohio Richfield Coliseum. Once the remaining isolation cuts were made, dozers pulled the 20,000-square-foot roof down onto the concrete debris below. Richfield Coliseum, Ohio 1974-1994. Richfield Coliseum, also known as the Coliseum at Richfield, was an indoor arena located in Richfield Township, between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio.It opened in 1974 as a replacement for the Cleveland Arena, and had a seating capacity of 20,273 for basketball. The Coliseum was built in Richfield to draw fans from both of Northeast Ohio's major cities, as nearly 5 million Ohioans lived within less than an hour's drive (in good weather) from the Coliseum. So even though there wasn’t a “team” in Milwaukee, Selig was working hard in 1968 and ’69 to lure someone, if not the Sox, to Wisconsin, and whatever team that turned out to be was destined to be called the “Milwaukee Brewers”.. The demolition of the Coliseum was less controversial than its construction, yet many came to the site in Richfield to see it one last time. Post-match, Demolition make their way back and brawl with Powers of Pain in the ring to another great reaction from the fans at the Richfield Coliseum as Demolition turn babyface and Powers of Pain turn heel in a historic double-turn. Farming Before the Richfield Coliseum, several farms occupied the … Converting the 100-acre facility back to its natural rural character would require moving 80 acres of asphalt parking and 600,000 gallons of wastewater off the site with no environmental or safety violations. The arena, which opened in 1974, replaced the Cleveland Arena, which had 12,500+ boxing capacity, 10,000+ otherwise. The Richfield Coliseum hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Barons as well as countless concerts during its twenty years of operation. The Coliseum proved it was a viable event location from its opening, hosting Frank Sinatra on October 26, 1974, the first of many famous artists to visit Richfield Township. Red-tailed hawks, deer, sawgrass and ryegrass have taken over the former Coliseum site without any negative environmental impact. 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