Greensboro Coliseum The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is an entertainment complex located in College Hill neighborhood of Greensboro , North Carolina , United States . Opening in 1959 , the arena was one of the largest venues in the South , with a seating capacity of over 23 , 000 . The complex holds nine venues that includes an amphitheater , arena , aquatic center , banquet hall , convention center , museum , performing arts center , theatre and an indoor pavilion . It is presently the home of the UNC Greensboro Spartans men ' s basketball team , as well as the ACC Men ' s and Women ' s Basketball Tournament . It has hosted the Men ' s ACC Tournament 23 times since 1967 and the Women ' s ACC Tournament 12 times since 2000 . The coliseum is contracted to host both tournaments until 2015 . Other notable sporting events include the NCAA Men ' s Final Four in 1974 and the East Regionals in 1976 , 1979 and 1998 . It is also the former home of several professional hockey teams including the Greensboro Generals , Greensboro Monarchs and the Carolina Hurricanes . The complex has hosted the " Central Carolina Fair " since 1999 . It is the largest arena in the The South . For the United States , it is tied for second with the United Center . History . The complex was first proposed in 1944 by the city ' s mayor . The idea was to create a war memorial to honor veterans of World War I and World War II . The building was approved by city officials in 1956 , followed by a groundbreaking in January 1958 . With its opening in 1959 , the complex held four venues : War Memorial Auditorium , Town Hall Auditorium , The Blue Room and the Greensboro Memorial Coliseum . The complex opened on October 29 , 1959 for historic show , " Holiday on Ice " . Shortly after its opening , the coliseum began to scout for a hockey team . Partnering with the EHL , the city formed the " Greensboro Generals " . The teams first match was November 11 , 1959 against the Washington Presidents . The Generals won the game 4 – 1 . The Generals would go on the win the EHL Championships . Over the years , the complex hosted several conventions , sporting and musical events . To meet demands , the coliseum expands its seating to 15 , 000 in 1972 . Six years later , the complex expanded to include an exhibition center , known at the time as the Greensboro Coliseum Complex Exhibition Building ( shortened to Exhibition Building ) . The building ' s first event was " Super Flea " , a flea market for the Triad area . In 1991 , the coliseum ' s manager ( Jim Evans ) proposed an additional expansion of the complex . This expansion would raise the seating capacity of the coliseum an additional 8 , 000 ( adding a third tier ) to 23 , 000 . It would also see The Blue Room demolished to make way for a small arena in the Exhibition Hall ( now called the Special Events Center ) . The venue reopened in December 28 , 1993 for the " Reunion Classic , a men ' s basketball game against the UCLA Bruins and NC State Wolfpack . This game was met with controversy as the coliseum was not fully complete at the time of the game . City officials paid $ 200 , 000 to have firefighters on stand by during the game . The coliseum and the newly expanded exhibition hall did not meet state and city building codes nor fire regulations . Additionally , the coliseum did not hold the permits to host the event . This irrational decision resulted in city council firing both the coliseum manager and its contractors , Huber , Hunt and Nichols , Inc . ( known for the Time Warner Cable Arena , BankAtlantic Center and the Consol Energy Center ) . It was later determined it would take an additional ten months to have the complex comply with regulations . The city added in additional $ 20 million dollars to the budget to renovate the coliseum and the auditorium . Additional expansions came in 2003 when the complex added the 30 , 000 sqft Pavilion ( also called the GCC Pavilion ) . Two years later , the complex would renovated the old Town Hall Auditorium into the smaller Odeon Theatre . In 2011 , the complex added three additional venues : the White Oak Amphitheatre , the Greensboro Aquatic Center and the ACC Hall of Champions . Since its opening , the complex has been visited by nearly 57 million people and hosts over 800 events per year . Facilities . Greensboro Coliseum . One of the original four buildings of the complex , the Coliseum ( also called Coliseum Arena ) is one of the oldest buildings on the property . Construction began on the venue in 1958 and was completed in September 1959 . Known originally as the Greensboro Memorial Coliseum ( until 1980 ) , the arena hosted its first event on October 29 , 1959 . At the time , the coliseum held 7 , 100 seats , becoming one of the largest arenas on the East Coast . Less than one year after its opening , the coliseum was about to be visited by presidential nominee Richard Nixon . Nixon obtained a knee injury while campaigning in Greensboro , causing him to stop his campaign tour . Although the tour continued in late August 1960 , Nixon still suffered pain from the injury . In September , the first debate between John F . Kennedy and Nixon aired on television , with Nixon appearing to look " sickly " . Nixon lost the debate and would go on to lose the presidential race . Nixon later stated the knee injury at the coliseum resulted in him losing the race . Through the years , the coliseum has hosted several sporting events , most notably basketball ( see below ) . The coliseum has also hosted concerts for over 40 years . During the 1960s and 1970s , the coliseum was frequented by rock and R & B performers . The first major concert held at the coliseum was by The Monkees . The venue would go on to host concerts by Guns N ' Roses , Cher , The Jackson 5 , Jay - Z , Elton John , Led Zeppelin , Kenny Rogers , Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band , Britney Spears and Tina Turner . Famed rock musician Elvis Presley played a concert at the coliseum on April 14 , 1972 . The footage for the concert was used for his final film " Elvis on Tour " and an audio album was also released , entitled " Elvis Presley – The Greensboro Concert 1972 " . Presley played the coliseum again in 1977 , one of the final venues of his tour before his death in August . Hard rock band Kiss has played ten performances at the coliseum . Van Halen has performed at the venue eight times while Prince , Aerosmith and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have played six times at the arena . AC / DC and Yes have performed five times at the coliseum . The arena has also hosted WJMH SuperJam since 1997 . The music festival has featured prominent artists in the hip hop community including LL Cool J , Soulja Boy , Ludacris , Ja Rule , Plies , Nas , Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz , Travis Porter and the Ying Yang Twins . The coliseum was also the site of reality show " American Idol " Season 5 tryouts and The X Factor ( U . S . season 2 ) in 2012 . War Memorial Auditorium . One of the original four buildings of the complex , the War Memorial Auditorium is one of the oldest buildings on the property . Along with the original concept , the venue opened in 1959 to house performing arts events . Playing predominately to an African American audience , the auditorium became a notable venue on the chitlin ' circuit . James Brown , Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were among the many performers who played the auditorium during the 1960s . Its first popular concert was by the Rolling Stones during their 1965 Tour . Over the years , the venue has been primarily used for town meetings , theatrical events , religious meetings and concerts . 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama held a town hall meeting on March 26 , 2008 to a full house . American vocalist Jill Scott has performed at the auditorium four times . Guilford County native Fantasia Barrino gave her first concert performance in her home state in 2010 for her Back to Me Tour . Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center . Originally known as the Greensboro Coliseum Complex Exhibition Building , the exhibition center opened in 1978 . Its purpose was to host business conferences and conventions . The venue was primarily used by " Super Flea " , the flea market for the Triad area . In 1993 , the center was expanded , converting the old Blue Room into a mid - sized arena known as Hall C or the East Wing . In its current state , the center has three exhibition halls , an arena and nine meeting rooms . The arena is often used for musical performances during the Central Carolina Fair . It is also utilized by Greensboro College men ' s and women ' s basketball home games . Other sporting events such as boxing , wrestling and UFC matches . The arena will often host concerts and comedy shows . Odeon Theatre . Opening in 1958 as the Town Hall Auditorium , the Odeon Theatre is a small venue primarily used for community events . The original auditorium housed 1 , 000 seats . In 2004 , the auditorium was converted to the smaller theatre and reopened in March 2005 . White Oak Amphitheatre . The newest contribution to the complex , the White Oak Amphitheatre is the first outdoor venue for the Triad area . The venue was originally proposed in 2007 along with the aquatic center . The city purchased the nearby Canada Dry bottling plant to allow space for the amphitheatre . Construction began in 2010 and was completed in June 2011 . The first concert for the venue was by the The Beach Boys on June 5 , 2011 to a crowd of 4 , 000 spectators . The amphitheatre is expected to operate from April to October , hosting community , comedy and musical events . The project cost $ 946 , 000 to construct . Pavilion . Known simply by one name ( although acknowledged as Greensboro Coliseum Pavilion or Pavilion at the Coliseum ) , the Pavilion is a standalone exhibition hall adjacent to the Special Events Center . The 30 , 000 sq ft space is used monthly by the Super Flea Market . It also is used frequently by Guildford County Schools and the Central Carolina Fair . The pavilion opened in March 2003 . The project was designed by Sutton - Kennerly Associates and cost $ 625 , 606 . Greensboro Aquatic Center . Another expansion project for the complex is the new aquatic center . The center will feature three main pools including a warm - up and training pool . The main pool will be used for events by nearby high schools and colleges and can hold eight 50 - meter lanes . The facility will also have a classroom and a 24 ' ×19 ' video screen . The venue will house events in competitive swimming and diving , synchronized swimming and water polo . The project began in 2010 along with the amphitheatre and cost $ 18 . 8 million to build . The City of Greensboro provided a live cam feed to watch the progress of the construction . The venue is expected to open in August 2011 . The venue will host the 2012 U . S . Masters Swimming Spring National Championship . ACC Hall of Champions . To commemorate its legacy with the ACC Tournaments , the complex opened a museum in 2011 to show the history of the ACC . The venue will celebrate the past , present and future of the ACC . It features numerous exhibits including an interactive broadcast booth , memorabilia , a video globe and school mascots . The venue opened in March 2011 . The Terrace . Opened in March 2011 , The Terrace is one of new expansions for the complex . Its main purpose is a banquet hall and will be used for speaking events as well as weddings . The Terrace is an open - air venue located in between the auditorium and coliseum . Sports . Hockey . The hockey history of Greensboro began in 1959 , when the Greensboro Generals of the Eastern Hockey League arrived and competed until the league folded in 1973 . The team moved to the Southern Hockey League for four seasons until it too ceased operations in January 1977 . Greensboro hockey ' s modern era began with the establishment of the Greensboro Monarchs of the East Coast Hockey League , who played from 1989 – 90 to 1994 – 95 . When the American Hockey League expanded southward in 1995 , it invited Greensboro to join ; the new team took the Monarchs nickname , but attempted to draw a more regional fan base by labeling themselves the Carolina Monarchs . When the Carolina Hurricanes announced their move from Hartford , Connecticut in 1997 ( when they were known as the Hartford Whalers ) , they leased the coliseum for two years while waiting for the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh , North Carolina to be completed . Subjected to ticket price increases and unwilling to support a team that was destined for Raleigh , Greensboro hockey fans rarely filled the arena for Hurricane games . Meanwhile , Triangle fans were unwilling to make the hour - long drive across Interstate 40 to Greensboro . As a result , the Hurricanes played in front of some of the smallest NHL crowds since the 1950s . During the 1998 – 99 season , the team curtained off most of the upper deck for home games in an effort to artificially create scarcity in the ticket market , force would - be attendees to purchase higher - priced tickets , and hide what national media mocked as " green acres " of empty seats . Once the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena ( now the RBC Center ) was completed and the Hurricanes moved out , the plan was that the Monarchs , who spent those two years in New Haven , Connecticut as the Beast of New Haven , would move back into the venue as a Hurricanes affiliate . However , Monarchs owner Bill Black had a different idea ; he briefly explored the possibility of selling shares of the Monarchs to the public . After that fell through , he exercised the option to sell the team to the Hurricanes , who promptly folded the deal , as well as the team . Rather than leave the coliseum without a hockey team for the first time in over 10 years , a new hockey team was founded , the Greensboro Generals , returning the city to the East Coast Hockey League . The Generals competed in the arena until 2004 , when they were terminated by the ECHL due to poor performance and lackluster support from the community . Increased operating expenses from the ECHL Players Union and overhead costs as a result of recent coliseum renovations significantly affected the Generals ' ability to promote within the community . It was revealed that after the team folded , nearly all of the money used to support the team over and above ticket revenues , could have been covered by coliseum advertising revenue that was purchased as a direct result of the hockey team ' s presence . After the team folded , the complex saw a significant revenue drop in local advertising and to this day , the coliseum operations must be supplemented with nearly $ 2 million a year from the city government . Basketball . The Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association played a majority of their home games at the Greensboro Coliseum during their tenure in North Carolina from 1969 to 1974 , before moving to St . Louis and becoming the Spirits of St . Louis . The Greensboro City Gaters played their first and only season as a charter franchise of the Global Basketball Association minor league in 1991 – 1992 in the Greensboro Coliseum . The Greensboro Coliseum has played host to many college basketball tournaments . The Atlantic Coast Conference has held their men ' s basketball tournament at the coliseum 23 times since 1967 , the most of any venue . This is in part because the arena was within seven hours ' drive of the conference ' s original footprint , and is within an hour of most of the fanbases of the conference ' s heartland in North Carolina . The coliseum most recently hosted the 2010 and 2011 men ' s tournament , and is slated to host four more ACC men ' s tournaments in 2013 , 2014 , & 2015 . It has also hosted the MEAC Men ' s Basketball Tournament ten times . In 1974 the coliseum hosted the NCAA Men ' s Final Four . It was the host of the Southern Conference men ' s basketball tournament from 1996 – 1999 . The coliseum has been the home for the ACC Women ' s Basketball Tournament since 2000 , and is contracted through 2015 . It has played host to 12 Men ' s NCAA Tournaments , most notably the 1974 Final Four . It hosted the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2009 , when it served as a first and second round site . It hosted the Greensboro Regional in the Women ' s NCAA Tournament in 2007 and 2008 . The coliseum is the first arena to host three basketball tournaments in consecutive weeks . The coliseum has also hosted NBA basketball , high school basketball , and the Harlem Globetrotters . From 1959 to 1989 , the Wake Forest Demon Deacons basketball team played a portion of its home schedule there — usually games against popular opponents that could not be accommodated in the smaller Winston - Salem Memorial Coliseum . The arena has also served as an alternate home floor for the UNC Greensboro Spartans men ' s basketball team , such as on December 31 , 2005 , when UNCG hosted top - ranked Duke at the Greensboro Coliseum in front of a near - record crowd of 21 , 124 . Beginning with the 2009 – 2010 season , UNCG men ' s basketball team moved all its home games there from the cramped Fleming Gymnasium on campus , which had been its home court since 1989 . Indoor football . The coliseum first saw an Arena Football team when the Greensboro Prowlers of the af2 league played in the coliseum from 1999 until 2004 . The team folded due to a poor record and lack of fan support . The Greensboro Revolution of the National Indoor Football League played here in 2006 and 2007 . The team ceased operations on January 23 , 2008 . Entertainment . The Coliseum has hosted many events over time , including Monster Jam , Arenacross , the PBR , , the Ringling Bros . and Barnum & Bailey Circus , and large - scale religious gatherings . The arena ' s large size makes it a popular location for concerts , hosting famous artists of many different genres . It ' s also located between and within an hour ' s drive of North Carolina ' s five largest cities : Charlotte , Raleigh , Greensboro , Winston - Salem , and Durham . The Coliseum has hosted many large professional wrestling cards . It was one the flagship arenas for Jim Crockett Promotions , which held its annual pay - per - view event Starrcade four times at the Coliseum . The Coliseum was also one of the several venues that had welcomed The Great American Bash 1986 . After Jim Crockett Promotions became World Championship Wrestling , the Coliseum remained a regular venue in WCW ' s early years and even hosted WrestleWar 1990 . World Wrestling Entertainment , on the other hand , has used the Coliseum for pay - per - view events , King of the Ring 1999 , and Survivor Series 2001 . To this day , the Coliseum continues to be a venue for WWE ' s television programs . In addition , its neighboring auditorium and special events center have hosted concerts , trade shows , broadway theatre shows , and similar events . The auditorium , which was not included in the 1993 renovation of the complex , will soon be renovated to include a banquet hall . In 2002 , the 1st Annual King of the Concrete indoor go - kart race was held at this facility .