  |
|
| Location | 950 West Hersheypark Drive Hershey, PA 17033 |
|---|---|
| Broke ground | November 8, 2000 |
| Opened | October 19, 2002 |
| Owner | Derry Township Industrial & Commercial Development Authority |
| Operator | Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company |
| Construction cost | $65 million |
| Architect | Populous |
| Capacity | 12,500 for in-the-round concerts, 10,500 for hockey |
| Field dimensions | 17,000 square feet (1,600 m2) |
| Tenants | |
| Hershey Bears (AHL) (2002-present) | |
GIANT Center is a 10,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a town in the Harrisburg metropolitan area. It is home to the Hershey Bears ice hockey team, the longest-existing member club in the American Hockey League, joining the league in 1938. Giant Center replaced the Hersheypark Arena as the Bears' home venue in 2002.
GIANT Center is owned by the Derry Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority, as much of the money for its construction was provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is operated by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company, with the naming rights owned by the Giant-Carlisle grocery store chain based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
The largest crowd in GIANT Center history was 10,860, which occurred on June 9, 2009 as the Bears faced off against the Manitoba Moose in Game 5 of the Calder Cup finals.
Contents |
History
In addition to Bears games, GIANT Center also hosts an annual concert series and attracts many well-known acts. The arena opened its doors with a performance by Cher, and has since continued to host a wide variety of popular entertainers from 50 Cent to the Harlem Globetrotters. It hosts several annual conventions as well, notably the Pennsylvania RV & Camping Show and the Antique Automobile Club of America's Fall Meet. In 2003, Giant Center held the World Wrestling Entertainment's Unforgiven. The venue also hosted the Road to Victory rally for Republican Presidential candidate, John McCain, and his running mate, Sarah Palin, on October 28, 2008.[1]
Concessions
In 2007, the GIANT Center Food and Beverage Department finalized a deal with PepsiCo, with all food and drink stands in the building switched from Coca-Cola products to Pepsi products. The switch was made to equalize operations with the rest of the Hershey Entertainment Complex.
GIANT Center's concessions include traditional fast-food items such as hamburgers, french fries, and hot dogs, as well as various Italian items. Additional concessions available include common coffeehouse treats such as cappuccino, espresso, and pastries. Turkey Hill, a local company from nearby Lancaster County, provides its own brand of ice cream products.
| Preceded by Hersheypark Arena |
Home of the Hershey Bears 2002– present |
Succeeded by current |
References
External links
Coordinates: 40°17′11″N 76°40′9″W / 40.28639°N 76.66917°W
|
||||||||
|
|||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
