BMO Harris Bank Center
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Rockford IceHogs ( AHL, since 1999) Rockford Rampage ( MISL, 2008-2010) Rockford Lightning ( CBA, 1986-2006 ) Rock River Raptors ( UIF / CIFL ), since 2006)
The BMO Harris Bank Center ( formerly known as Rockford Metrocentre ) is a multi-purpose hall in Rockford, Winnebago County of the U.S. state of Illinois. Because of its facade, it has been nicknamed the Big Orange Box. The octagonal in its basic form event hall offers 10,000 seats.
History
The BMO Harris Bank Center opened in 1981 with a concert by Dionne Warwick. Currently, it is home to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League. They are the farm team of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. Since 2006, the arena football team of the Rock River Raptors playing in the arena of Rockford. Two years until the end of 2010, the indoor soccer team the Rockford Rampage ( MISL ) was established within the venue. The CBA basketball team the Rockford Lightning from 1986 to 2006 Rockford home.
In November 2006, presented the operator, the city Rockford and Winnebago County plans to rebuild the hall. The trigger was the relocation of the AHL farm team of the Chicago Blackhawks to Rockford. The negotiated franchise agreement runs for 10 years and the team was named Rockford Icehogs. On 21 June 2007, work began on the multi-purpose arena. The building measures included, inter alia, the renovation of the facade, club lounges and lounge, a modern video scoreboard, 11 luxury suites, a new press box, new stalls and kiosks and a shopping center. Most of the reconstruction was completed in December 2008. In August 2010, was negotiated with the real estate company SMG ( Spectator Management Group ) a five- year contract for the management of the Rockford MetroCentre. SMG specializes in the management of urban building event.
Other events such as the arena were Concerts by Kelly Clarkson, Reba McEntire, Motley Crue, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, Daughtry, monster truck and motocross racing, Disney ice shows, performances of Cirque du Soleil or Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, performances of Blue Man Group, ventriloquist and comedian Jeff Dunham, Larry the Cable Guy Games or the Harlem Globetrotters.