FirstOntario Centre

Hamilton Steel Hawks ( OHL, 1985-1988) Dukes of Hamilton ( OHL, 1989-1991) Hamilton Canucks ( AHL, 1992-1994) Hamilton Bulldogs ( AHL, since 1996) Ontario Raiders ( NLL, 1998)

The Copps Coliseum (full name Victor K. Copps Trade Centre and Arena ) is a multi-purpose arena in Hamilton, Ontario, and the home of the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League. The arena opened in 1985 and is named after Victor Copps, a former mayor of the city of Hamilton.

History

Construction on the arena began in 1983 and was completed in 1985, the building was completed to date to 33.5 million U.S. dollars. Added additional $ 2.3 million came for the construction of the nearby parking garage. The scoreboard was previously located in the Winnipeg Arena and was purchased for $ 214,000.

After initial hopes that an NHL franchise might settle in Hamilton, the hall was at first only used by youth teams from the Ontario Hockey League. With the Hamilton Canucks, the city finally got in 1992 a dedicated team in the American Hockey League, which, however after only two seasons to Syracuse, New York, moved and continued to play there as Syracuse Crunch. Since October 1996, the Copps Coliseum is home to the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs franchises, a former farm team of the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL and since 2002 partner of the Montreal Canadiens. Since moving to Hamilton, the team was able to attract over two million spectators to the Copps Coliseum, also the team after the Toronto Maple Leafs is the second oldest professional hockey team in Southern Ontario. With a victory over the Hershey Bears, the Bulldogs won their first Calder in 2007 Cup, the championship of the American Hockey League.

1986 was the Copps Coliseum also hosted the Junior World Championships. In the deciding game, the USSR beat the hosts from Canada and thus was in the tenth staging for the seventh time U20 World Champion. The following year, the stadium was also the main venue for the Canada Cup as well as a venue for hosting the 1991.

On 24 January 1988, it was held in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment in the arena, the first Royal Rumble. Was won by Jim Duggan of mass struggle.

In 1990 took place at Copps Coliseum for the final round at the Memorial Cup, the official Canadian Junior Championship instead. With 17,388 spectators could be set up on 13 May in the encounter Oshawa Generals against Kitchener Rangers of the attendance record for a game of this tournament. Although the stadium never hosted an NHL team, several regular season games for the native to the nearby Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres at the Coliseum took place in the seasons 1992/93 and 1993/94.

Together with the SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto was the Copps Coliseum hosted the 1994 FIBA World Championships in 1994, also in the late 1990s helped the Toronto Raptors NBA some home games in the arena.

From 3 to 11 March 2007, the stadium was a venue for the Canadian Curling Championships. In the same year the billionaire Jim Balsillie, Vice - CEO of Research In Motion made ​​, a 220 - million-dollar offer to buy the Nashville Predators of the NHL. His plan was that franchise to locate in Hamilton and during the construction of a new arena in Copps Coliseum to accommodate or renovate the old venue by NHL standards. The tender offer was, however, not be accepted.

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