Celebration Arena

{{Short description|Indoor arena in Priceville, Alabama}}

The Celebration Arena is a defunct 5,000-seat indoor arena located in Priceville, Alabama, near Decatur. It contains a 150-by-300-foot ({{convert|45,000| ft2|m2}}) arena floor that can be used not only for sporting events as well as rodeos and horse shows (most notably the world championship show for the Racking Horse), but also for trade shows, flea markets, and other special events, such as concerts (concert capacity is up to 7,000).

For a time this arena was the only structure in Alabama that contained a full indoor track.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} It was formerly the site of the Alabama High School Athletic Association State Indoor Track Meet.{{cite news|url=http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/050430/finals.shtml|title=Racking horse finals tonight|publisher=Decatur Daily|date=2005-04-30|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20070930185617/http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/050430/finals.shtml|archivedate=2007-09-30}} Concerns over the facility's safety led to the cancellation of the AHSAA Indoor Track season for 2007-2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080116/NEWS/345778532/1015/NEWS |title=PREP NOTEBOOK: Indoor track loses sanctioning by AHSAA |publisher=Tuscaloosa News|date=2008-01-16}} Celebration Arena ended its role as the state's indoor track facility and in 2012 a new indoor track facility was opened adjacent to the Bill Harris Arena at the Alabama State Fairgrounds in Birmingham.Solomon Crenshaw, [http://highschoolsports.al.com/news/article/6700440064507320006/crenshaw-birmingham-crossplex-opens-to-rave-reviews/ "Birmingham CrossPlex opens to rave reviews"], The Birmingham News, January 19, 2012.

In 2009, Celebration Arena was purchased by the State Products Mart of Morgan County and was eventually upgraded with facilities for its current emphasis on horse-related events.[http://www.decaturdaily.com/special_reports/opportunity/celebration-arena-sees-reason-for-celebration/article_6b9d1ab4-facb-5e33-9c50-8be8d42c1776.html "Celebration Arena sees reason for celebration"], The Decatur Daily, Feb 21, 2016.

In 2022, the State Products Mart Authority board sold the arena for Aaron Guthrie for $2.5 million.{{Cite news |date=2022-07-26 |title=No more horsing around: Celebration Arena in Priceville has been sold |url=https://www.hartselleenquirer.com/2022/07/26/no-more-horsing-around-celebration-arena-in-priceville-has-been-sold/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726144245/https://www.hartselleenquirer.com/2022/07/26/no-more-horsing-around-celebration-arena-in-priceville-has-been-sold/ |archive-date=2022-07-26 |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=The Hartselle Enquirer}} In 2024, news reported that this arena would be used for solar panel manufacturing.{{Cite news |last=Norum |first=Kate |date=2024-08-25 |title=Celebration Arena to become solar panel plant in Priceville |url=https://www.waff.com/2024/08/25/pricevilles-celebration-arena-finds-new-life-manufacturing-plant/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240826073512/https://www.waff.com/2024/08/25/pricevilles-celebration-arena-finds-new-life-manufacturing-plant/ |archive-date=2024-08-26 |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=WAFF}}