Androscoggin Bank Colisée

The Colisée (formerly Androscoggin Bank Colisée, Central Maine Youth Center, Central Maine Civic Center and Lewiston Colisee) is a 4,000 capacity (3,677 seated) multi-purpose arena, in Lewiston, Maine, that opened in 1958. The Colisée was built to replace St. Dominics Regional High School Arena, and initially constructed and operated by the Catholic parish of SS. Peter and Paul. Currently, it is the home of the Maine Nordiques of the North American Hockey League. The Colisee is also used for concerts, conventions and trade shows. There is 17,000 square feet (1600 m2) of exhibit space. For conventions, the Colisee can accommodate up to 4,800 patrons.

The Colisée
Colisée
The ABC
Androscoggin Bank Colisee
Androscoggin Bank Colisee
Former namesCentral Maine Youth Center (1958–1989)

Central Maine Civic Center (1989–2004)
Lewiston Colisée (2004–2006)

Androscoggin Bank Colisée (2006–2021)
LocationLewiston, Maine
OwnerFirland Management Colisee, LLC
Capacity2,634 (hockey)
Construction
Broke ground1956
Opened1958
Construction cost$1 million, with $5 million renovations
Tenants
Maine Nordiques (NAHL) (1973–1977)

Lewiston Maineiacs (QMJHL) (2003–2011)
Portland Pirates (AHL) (2013–2014)
Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques (NA3EHL/NA3HL) (2015–2020)

Maine Nordiques (NAHL) (2019–present)

History

The Maine Nordiques of the former professional North American Hockey League were the primary tenant at the Civic Center from 1973 to 1977. The Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association played exhibition games at the Civic Center.

In 2003, the Lewiston Maineiacs came to the Central Maine Civic Center. The Central Maine Civic Center was renamed to the Lewiston Colisée (from the French word for colosseum, similar to the Colisée de Québec) to distinguish it from the Cumberland County Civic Center, the Augusta Civic Center, and the Bangor Civic Center.[1] In 2007, the Maineiacs won the Presidents Cup, the QMJHL league championship. They remain the only U.S.-based QMJHL team to win the Presidents Cup.[2] The Maineiacs folded at the end of the 2010–11 QMJHL season and the Sherbrooke Phoenix was created in its place.[3]

The Federal Hockey League held five home games at the arena in 2011 and 2012.[4] Due to renovations to the Cumberland County Civic Center, the Portland Pirates played at the Colisee during the 2012–13 AHL season for all but one of their home games.[5][6]

On December 16, 2014, it was announced the New Hampshire Fighting Spirit from the North American 3 Eastern Hockey League, a Tier III junior league, would relocate to Lewiston and play home games at the Colisee as the L/A Fighting Spirit (with the L/A standing for Lewiston-Auburn) beginning with the 2015–16 season.[7] In 2016, the Fighting Spirit joined the North American 3 Hockey League.

Firland Management, which had acquired the Colisee from the City of Lewiston in 2008,[8] bought the Fighting Spirit in 2017 and rebranded the team as the Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques after the former professional team.[9] In 2019, Cain, Darryl Antonacci, and Nolan Howe were granted an expansion team in the Tier II junior North American Hockey League and named the team the Maine Nordiques.[10] In March 2020, Antonacci agreed to purchase the Colisée and the Tier III Nordiques from Cain.[11] Antonacci folded the Tier III junior team and replaced it with Tier I youth teams.[12]

The naming rights to the venue were sold to Androscoggin Bank in 2006.[13] In 2020, the rights expired, and the bank's name was removed from the venue the following year.[14]

Other uses

Ali vs. Liston fight
Main article: Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston

On May 25, 1965, the Youth Center was the venue for the WBC heavyweight boxing championship rematch between 34-year old former champ Sonny Liston and 23-year-old reigning champion Muhammad Ali.[15] It was at this fight that Sports Illustrated photographer Neil Leifer took what Time magazine has called the "perhaps the greatest sports photo of the century."[16]

Concerts

On March 19, 1977, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played at the venue.[17] Bob Dylan performed at the venue on November 13, 2000, May 17, 2008 and on April 10, 2013.[18][19][20]

Mixed martial arts

Bellator MMA held their first event in Maine on March 21, 2013, Bellator 93.[21]

Ring of Honor/New Japan Pro-Wrestling

On November 7, 2018, Ring of Honor made its Maine debut at the Coliseé.[22] As a co-promoted Global Wars show with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, it also marked the Japanese promotion's first event in New England.

References
  1. Writer, Justin Pelletier Staff (2004-02-20). "It's Colisee now". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  2. Graham, Mark Wallace (2013-11-07). "The Lewiston Maineiacs: Maine's Lost Team". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  3. "QMJHL's Lewiston Maineiacs fold, will relocate to Sherbrooke for 2012-13 season". The Hockey News. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  4. Miller, Stuart (2012-01-07). "Far From the N.H.L., a League That Survived Hopes to Grow". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  5. Hall, Jessica (August 31, 2013). "Civic Center, Pirates in standoff over concessions". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  6. Lowe, Mike (September 26, 2013). "Portland Pirates leave Cumberland County Civic Center". Kennebec Journal. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  7. "Fighting Spirit to relocate to Lewiston, Maine". NA3EHL. December 16, 2014. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  8. Staff Writer. "Lewiston City Council approves Colisee sale". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  9. "Firland Manages Junior Hockey Team | Firland Management". Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  10. "Maine Nordiques, an NAHL Tier II team, coming to Lewiston". Sun Journal. February 28, 2019.
  11. "Androscoggin Bank Colisee to be sold to owner of Maine Nordiques". WGME-TV. March 14, 2020.
  12. "Nordiques owner wants more high-end hockey, year-round events at the Colisee". Sun Journal. March 13, 2020.
  13. "City still working on name for arena". Lewiston Sun Journal. 2006-06-29. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  14. Journal, Nathan FournierSun (2021-04-07). "Maine Nordiques' arena renamed The Colisee, for now". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  15. Emmert, Mark (24 May 2015). "The Maine moment that made Muhammad Ali". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  16. Staff (June 3, 2016). "Behind the Greatest Photo of Muhammad Ali Ever Taken". Time. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  17. Guru, The. "Blimp Time Hop: Springsteen Rocks Lewiston On The Eve Of Spring". 102.9 WBLM. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  18. "Setlists | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  19. "Androscoggin Bank Colisee | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  20. Writer, Ray RouthierStaff (2013-02-28). "Bob Dylan show confirmed for Lewiston". Press Herald. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  21. "Bellator 93 Results, Fight Card and News - MMA Fighting". www.mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  22. "Lethal And Naito Captain Teams In Lewiston Main Event". www.rohwrestling.com. Retrieved 2022-12-21.

44°5′44″N 70°12′19″W

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