Sacramento Convention Center Complex
The Sacramento Convention Center Complex is a complex of entertainment venues and a convention center located in downtown Sacramento, California. The complex consists of the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center (formerly Community Center Theater), the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, and the Jean Runyon Little Theater.
Venues
SAFE Credit Union Convention Center
The SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, located at 1400 J Street, is a convention and meeting venue. The Convention Center features an exhibit hall with 240,000 square feet (22,000 m2) of programmable space, 160,000 square feet (15,000 m2) of exhibit space, 2 ballrooms, and 37 meeting rooms. In 2019, the convention center underwent a major expansion, with the original 1974 portion of the convention center was torn down and rebuilt, adding more than 111,000 square feet (10,300 m2) of space. SAFE Credit Union acquired the naming rights to the convention center for $23 million over 25 years. Construction started in July 2019 and completed in June 2021. [1][2]
SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center
The SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, formerly known as Community Center Theater, is a 2,452 seat entertainment venue located at 1301 L Street. The theater hosts national touring artists, and Sacramento performing arts groups such as the Sacramento Ballet and the Philharmonic Orchestra.[3] The theater opened in 1974.[4] Designed in the brutalist style, it underwent renovations for the first time in 2021, carried out by architectural firm DLR Group.[5]
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium
The Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, located at 1515 J Street, is a 3,867 seat multi-purpose venue. Completed in 1926, the Auditorium opened in February, 1927. Closed in 1986, the building fell into disrepair, and re-opened in 1996, after renovation, as part of the Convention Center Complex. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6] The Auditorium hosts a variety of events, including concerts, high school graduations, and hosted the 2007 inauguration of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
California music acts that have performed at the auditorium include The Beach Boys in '64, Sonny & Cher in '65, Grateful Dead in '68, Jefferson Airplane in '68, The Doors '68, The Turtles '68, The 5th Dimension '68, Chicago in '69, Eric Burdon & War in '70, Frank Zappa in '71, Cheech & Chong in '72, Canned Heat in '72, Doobie Brothers in '72, The Eagles in '74, Steppenwolf '74, Fleetwood Mac '75, Journey (band) '77, Toto '77, Santana '79, America '79, Huey Lewis and the News '79, Sammy Hagar '80, Go-Go's '82, Mötley Crüe '83, Ratt '84, Night Ranger '84, Metallica '85, Dishwalla '97, John Fogerty '97, Primus '97, 311 in '97, Jane's Addiction '97, Tool '98, Sacramento's Deftones '98, Sacramento's Cake '99, The Offspring '99, 98 Degrees in '99, Lit '99, The Wallflowers '00, System of a Down '00, Linkin Park '00, Incubus '01, No Doubt '02, Papa Roach '02, Eve 6 '03, Audioslave '05, Avenged Sevenfold '06, Pat Monahan (of Train) '07, Stone Temple Pilots '08, Atreyu '09, Third Eye Blind '15, Queens of the Stone Age '18, Los Lobos '19, and Weird Al Yankovic '19.
Jean Runyon Little Theater
The Jean Runyon Little Theater, located at 1515 J Street in the Memorial Auditorium, is a 272-seat entertainment venue for smaller events. On May 24, 2000, the space was dedicated to Jean Runyon for her contributions to the Sacramento theater community.[7]
See also
- Wells Fargo Pavilion
- List of convention centers in the United States
- Bobby Chacon vs. Rafael Limón- their historic fourth bout was held at the auditorium.
References
- Hamann, Emily (2019-08-08). "SAFE Credit Union enters naming deal for convention center project". Sacramento Business Journal. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
- Anderson, Mark (2018-06-19). "Sacramento may invest $328 million in convention center complex (Renderings)". Sacramento Business Journal. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
- "Community Center Theater". Sacramentoconventioncenter.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
- "Transformation of the Sacramento Community Center Theater". DLR Group. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- "SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center". DLR Group. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- "Memorial Auditorium". Sacramentoconventioncenter.com. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
- "Sacramento Convention Center". Archived from the original on 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2008-12-06.