Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a multi-purpose venue in central Phoenix that seats nearly fifteen thousand people for sports events and exhibitions. The interior is supported by a network of steel cables that creates a wide hall with no columns inside the space.

The facility was completed in November nineteen sixty-five by the architectural firm Lescher & Mahoney and represented a new postwar building style. The project also drew on the experience of T.Y. Lin International in designing the cable support system.

For over twenty years the local basketball team played home games here, shaping professional sports in the region. Today the venue continues to serve as a gathering point for sports fans and trade show visitors.

The venue stands on McDowell Road within the state fairgrounds area and is easily reached by car. Events take place throughout the year, especially during the annual state fair in autumn.

The steel cable network in the roof was designed to create a free-spanning surface without central supports and was considered an innovative building element at the time. This construction still allows flexible use of space for different event types without columns blocking the view.

Location: Phoenix

Inception: November 3, 1965

Architects: Lescher & Mahoney

Official opening: November 3, 1965

Capacity: 14870

GPS coordinates: 33.46944,-112.09667

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:45