This article is about the indoor arena in Raleigh, NC. For the office tower in Toronto, Ontario, see RBC Centre.

The RBC Center (originally the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena) is an indoor arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is home to the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL and the North Carolina State University Wolfpack men's basketball team of NCAA Division I. The arena also hosted the Carolina Cobras of the Arena Football League from 2000 to 2002. The arena neighbors Carter-Finley Stadium, home of Wolfpack Football; the North Carolina State Fairgrounds; and Dorton Arena (on the Fairgrounds).

The arena seats 19,722 for basketball or 18,680 for ice hockey, including 75 luxury suites and 2,000 club seats. The building has three concourses, and includes a 500-seat restaurant. It is the second largest arena in the ACC and the tenth-largest in the NCAA.

History

The idea of a new basketball arena first emerged in the 1980s under the vision of Wolfpack coach Jim Valvano. In 1989, the NCSU Trustees approved plans to build a 23,000 seat arena. The Centennial Authority was created by the NC Legislature in 1995 as the governing entity of the arena, then financed by state appropriation, local contributions, and University fundraising. The Centennial Authority refocused the project into a multi-use arena, leading to the 1997 relocation agreement of the Hurricanes (then the Hartford Whalers). Construction began that year and was completed in 1999 with an estimated cost of $158 million, which was largely publicly financed by a Hotel and Restaurant tax. The Hurricanes agreed to pay $20 million of the cost, and the state of North Carolina paid $18 million.

Known as the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena or ESA from 1999 to 2002, it was renamed the RBC Center after an extended search for a corporate sponsor. RBC Bank, a U.S. bank that is owned by the Royal Bank of Canada, acquired 20-year naming rights for a reported $80 million.

The Carolina Hurricanes were on home ice when they won the Stanley Cup on June 19, 2006 against the Oilers, 3–1.

The Arena has hosted many notable World Wrestling Entertainment events including WWF SummerSlam 2000 and WWE No Mercy 2006.

The RBC Center is host of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) tourney from 1999–Present.

The RBC Center was a site for the men's Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2004 and 2008 NCAA Tournament.

The RBC Center is located on Edwards Mill Road, just off Wade Avenue between Interstate 40 and Interstate 440

The RBC Center is affectionately known as the "Raleigh Basketball Center."

The RBC Center is also known as the "Rink of Fire" for Carolina Hurricanes games as a play on words of the popular song by Johnny Cash.

Notable events

• 2000 ''Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour
• 2002 Stanley Cup Finals
• 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship first and second round
• 2004 NHL Draft
• 2004 Usher: The Truth Tour
• 2004 Kelly Clarkson & Clay Aiken: Independent Tour
• 2005 Jeopardy! College Championship
• 2006 Stanley Cup Finals
• 2006 Nickelback: All the Right Reasons Tour
• 2007 Christina Aguilera : Back To Basics Tour
• 2007 Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium Tour
• 2007 One Tree Hill location shoot for a fictional state basketball tourney
• 2007 Beyoncé : The Beyoncé Experience
• 2008 Van Halen : Van Halen World Tour 2008
• 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship first and second round
• 2009 Celine Dion : Taking Chances Tour

References

• NCSU Athletics. RBC Center Retrieved July 12, 2004 from
• RBC Center: History. Retrieved July 12, 2004 from
• The Hockey News. 59.37 (2006): 6.

External links

• Official site

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