Pensacola Civic Center

The Pensacola Civic Center is a venue in Pensacola that has hosted a variety of events. It is owned by Escambia County and operated by the SMG Management Corporation. The building is 23,000 square feet and features 10,000 square feet of meeting space. It can accommodate 12,000 people overall and just over 8,100 for hockey games. The center opened in 1985 and was originally used for Pensacola Ice Pilots hockey games. The team left in 2008, but hockey continued at the arena when the Pensacola Ice Flyers moved to the area in 2009. Indoor soccer leagues and arena football teams have both played in the arena. The arena has also hosted wrestling events and rodeos, as well as the Roller Skating National Championships. In addition to sporting events, the arena hosts music acts traveling to the Pensacola area. KISS was the first band to perform at the arena and Michael Jackson was scheduled to perform at the arena during his Bad World Tour, but the concert never materialized. He practiced at the arena for over a month in 1987. Other bands to use the arena as a practice facility include AC/DC, Van Halen, Rush and David Bowie. This is because it is relatively inexpensive to rent and can be used for extended periods of time. Most bands play at least one public show before moving on.