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Van Andel Arena's 10 Year Anniversary


GRDadof3

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Arena spurs millions in downtown development

Sort of an old story that we're all aware of, but some interesting info from Rich MacKiegen:

The facility was designed with expansion in mind. Its south wall could be removed to allow for about 3,500 additional seats, completing the arena's interior seating bowl. MacKeigan and most people close to the facility say that expansion, which would cost $20 million to $50 million, probably will never happen, since the extra seats would very rarely get filled.

Should the community ever grow large enough to support a major-league hockey or basketball franchise -- prospects MacKeigan said might take 15 to 20 years -- "the economic realities of such a franchise would mandate a brand-new venue."

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How far back do you want to go? ... the Thunder Chicken on Alpine...

Ah yes, the Thunder Chicken... (brief moment of silence in honor of all the brain cells I left dead there). I saw Bob Seger there before he got big. Others who have mentioned this venue's later iteration as the "Top of the Rock" may be forgetting that in between it spent some time as "The Alibi" which was a tricked-out disco club in the mid 70's.

Speaking of the scar disco has placed on our society, anyone remember the Coral Gables on 28th just west of the train overpass near Breton? I recall seeing the horn section from Earth Wind & Fire play there. As I recall, this club went through a handful of make-overs until its ultimate demise. Of course, back in those days Coral Gables was an entertainment behemoth with locations in Kalamazoo, Lansing, Saugatuck and several others including I believe Manistee. If you attended college in the 70s, you were accustomed to seeing concert posters advertising bands touring all their locations.

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