DeltaPlex Arena
DeltaPlex Arena & Conference Center (formerly Grand Rapids Stadium, Stadium Arena, and Turner Arena) is a 4,416-seat multipurpose arena in Walker, Michigan. It was built in 1950 and since then the DeltaPlex sports, entertainment and convention complex has grown around the arena. The arena, which has a 52-foot (16 m) ceiling, seats up to 6,116 for concerts and has 1,066 loge seats. It has a 40-by-60-foot portable stage. It has 6 concession stands, only 2 of which are permanent, plus 4 lockers. DeltaPlex Arena's 20,000 square feet (2,000 m2) of arena floor space makes it usable for not only sports and concerts but also trade shows, conventions and other events.
[edit] Tenants
The DeltaPlex Arena is home to the Grand Rapids chapter of Arena Racing. The DeltaPlex Arena also previously hosted the Grand Rapids Flight of the International Basketball League. In 2010, it was home to the West Michigan ThunderHawks of the Indoor Football League.
[edit] History
The original building was constructed in 1952. The building had an arched roof design with wooded arch supports instead of steel. The building housed many different tenents including 2 defunct IHL Hockey teams. The Grand Rapids Rockets in the 1950s and the Grand Rapids Owls in the late '70s until 1980. During the 1960s and early 1970s it was home to Alantic Mills Department Store. It was also home for a short time to a Drive-In Theater, Known as the Stadium Drive-In Theater. For most of its life it was located at the corner of Turner Ave and West River Drive. However due to a reconstruction of West River Drive, the parking lot was enlarged and Turner Ave ended at West River Drive. In the mid-1990s the building was sold to the Langlois Family. After the purchase an extensive, ground-up restoration and remodeling regimen followed and the newly christened DeltaPlex opened its doors in 1998.
