Dorton Arena

{{Short description|Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, US}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox venue |

stadium_name = Dorton Arena |

nickname = Paraboleum |

image = File:Dorton Arena West Side.JPG |

location = North Carolina State Fairgrounds
1025 Blue Ridge Road
Raleigh, North Carolina |

broke_ground = |

opened = 1952|

owner = State of North Carolina |

operator = State of North Carolina |

surface = Ice, Concrete, Hardwood |

construction_cost = |

architect = Maciej Nowicki, William Henley Dietrick |

seating_capacity = 5,110 – Arena Football and Hockey
7,610 – Basketball |

former_names = State Fair Arena (1952–1961) |

tenants = Carolina Cougars (ABA) (1969–1974)
Raleigh Bullfrogs (GBA) (1991–1992)
Raleigh IceCaps (ECHL) (1991–1998)
Raleigh Cougars (USBL) (1997–1999)
Raleigh Rebels (AIFL) (2005–2006)
Carolina Rollergirls (WFTDA) (2006–present)
Triangle Torch (AIF/SIF) (2016–2017)

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = J. S. Dorton Arena

| embed = yes

| nrhp_type =

| image =

| caption =

| location = North Carolina State Fairgrounds, W. Hillsborough St., Raleigh, North Carolina

| coordinates = {{coord|35|47|37|N|78|42|36|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = North Carolina#USA

| area =

| built = 1953

| architect = Nowicki, Matthew, et al.; Muirhead, William, Construction

| architecture =

| added = April 11, 1973

| refnum = 73001375

{{NRISref|2009a}}

}}

}}

J. S. Dorton Arena is a 7,610-seat multi-purpose arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair. It opened in 1952.

Architect Maciej Nowicki of the North Carolina State University Department of Architecture was killed in an airplane crash before the construction phase. Local architect William Henley Dietrick supervised the completion of the arena using Nowicki's innovative design. Said design features a steel cable supported saddle-shaped roof in tension, held up by parabolic concrete arches in compression. The arches cross about 20 feet above ground level and continue underground, where their ends are held together by more steel cables in tension. The outer walls of the arena support next to no weight at all.

Dorton Arena was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1973. Originally named the "State Fair Arena", it was dedicated to Dr. J. S. Dorton, former North Carolina State Fair manager, in 1961.{{Cite web | author = Survey and Planning Unit Staff| title =J.S. Dorton Arena| work = National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory | date = August 1972 | url = https://files.nc.gov/ncdcr/nr/WA0012.pdf | publisher = North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office | access-date = 2015-05-01}}

In the past, it has hosted many sporting events, concerts, political rallies and circuses.

Historic significance

The Dorton Arena was the first structure in the world to use a cable-supported roof. The structure is based on two parabolic concrete arches which lean over to the point that they are closer to being parallel to the ground than they are to being vertical. The arches lean toward and beyond each other such that they cross each other 26 feet above ground. These arches, approaching horizontal in plane, thus serve as the outer edges of the structure, which when viewed from above appears almost elliptical. The arches are supported by slender columns around the building perimeter. Cables are strung between the two opposing arch structures providing support for the saddle-shaped roof. This was the first permanent cable-supported roof in the world.

Completed in 1952, the arena served as an inspiration to many architects and civil engineers, both at home and abroad, for similar buildings. This led to a boom in lightweight constructions such as the Europe 1-Broadcasting House (1954) in Überherrn,Europe1 Berus the auditorium Paul-Emile Janson (1956) in Bruxelles,[https://monument.heritage.brussels/medias/buildings/F1000006select.JPG] Auditorium "Paul-Emile Janson" the Ingalls Rink (1958) in New Haven, the Športová hala Pasienky (1958) in Bratislava,Gopass Aréna (Športová hala Pasienky) the Yoyogi National Gymnasium (1964) in Tokyo, the Ice Aréna (1965) in Prešov"Ice Arena" in Prešov and the Sporthal Beverwijk (1971) in Beverwijk.Exterieur "Sporthal Beverwijk" Most famous – albeit not in terms of the dysfunctional foundations – is the Congress Hall (1957) in Berlin.Congress Hall/House of World Cultures in Berlin As a prominent symbol of the German-American alliance during the Cold War era and beyond it caused similar constructions in various parts of Germany."Feierabendhaus" (house for after working hours) in Knapsack (Hürth)"Teepott" (Tea-Pot) in Warnemünde/Rostock

Dorton Arena was one of only two new building in the United States given a 1953 National Honor Award by the American Institute of Architects."The Record Reports. 1953 National Honor Awards for Architecture", Architectural Record, Vol. 114, No. 2, pg. 12, July 1953. It was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2002.{{cite web |url=http://www.ncstatefair.org/facilities/dortonhistory.htm |title=Extended history of the J.S. Dorton Arena |publisher=North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services |access-date=June 29, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.asce.org/about-civil-engineering/history-and-heritage/historic-landmarks/dorton-arena |title=Dorton Arena |publisher=American Society of Civil Engineers |access-date=January 26, 2022}}{{cite journal |last1=Petroski |first1=Henry |date=November–December 2002 |title=Dorton Arena, On the occasion of its 50th anniversary and its dedication as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark |url=https://www.americanscientist.org/sites/americanscientist.org/files/20051220153327_306.pdf |journal=American Scientist |volume= 90|issue= 6|pages=503–507 |doi=10.1511/2002.39.3324 |access-date=March 3, 2021}}

Sports

Dorton Arena has hosted numerous sporting events and teams throughout the decades. The longest-running tenant was the Raleigh IceCaps (ECHL) ice hockey team from 1991–1998. The American Basketball Association's Carolina Cougars also played some games in the arena from 1969–74. It was also the home of the Carolina Rollergirls (WFTDA).

File:Triangle Torch vs Lehigh Valley Steelhawks 1.jpg vs. Lehigh Valley Steelhawks at Dorton Arena, March 25, 2016]]The Cougars became tenants after the Houston Mavericks moved to North Carolina in 1969. The Cougars were a "regional franchise", playing "home" games in Charlotte (Bojangles' Coliseum), Greensboro (Greensboro Coliseum), Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum and Raleigh (Dorton Arena). Hall of Fame Coach Larry Brown began his coaching career with the Cougars in 1972. Billy Cunningham was the ABA MVP for Brown and the Cougars in the 1972–73 season. Despite a strong fan base the Cougars were sold and moved to St. Louis in 1974.{{cite web|url=http://www.remembertheaba.com/Carolina-Cougars.html |title=Remember the ABA: Carolina Cougars |access-date=2014-05-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127080229/http://remembertheaba.com/Carolina-Cougars.html |archive-date=2013-11-27 }}

Dorton Arena was a popular venue for professional wrestling in the 70s and 80s, with sometimes weekly matches. Wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper defeated “Nature Boy” Ric Flair for the National Wrestling Alliance U.S. Heavyweight championship in Dorton Arena on Jan. 27, 1981.

Beginning in 2016, it became the home of the Triangle Torch in American Indoor Football.{{cite web | url=http://triangletorchproindoorfootball.com/news/59-aif-in-raleigh-nc-begins-today-as-new-team-has-been-awarded-to-raleigh-nc.html | title=AIF in Raleigh NC begins today as new team has been awarded to Raleigh, NC. | publisher=Triangle Torch | date=August 12, 2015 | access-date=August 12, 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822131456/http://triangletorchproindoorfootball.com/news/59-aif-in-raleigh-nc-begins-today-as-new-team-has-been-awarded-to-raleigh-nc.html | archive-date=August 22, 2015 }} The Torch have since played as members of Supreme Indoor Football but left Dorton Arena prior to the 2018 season in the American Arena League.

Other events

Besides hosting sporting events, the arena is also used for concerts during the North Carolina State Fair. Various conventions and fairs also use floorspace of the arena as an exhibition space, often in conjunction with the neighboring Jim Graham building.

The arena has hosted the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) regional robotics competition and was the first space to hold a regional in the state.

Both Shaw University and Meredith College use Dorton Arena as a site for graduation, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics use the facility as a rain site for their commencement exercises.

Concerts (non-fair)

Dorton Arena and Reynolds Coliseum were the only concert venues in the Capital City for many decades before Coastal Credit Union Music Park and Lenovo Center were built. The building was originally designed for livestock shows, and before popular music concerts began to be regularly hosted in arenas, so while there are unobstructed views of the stage, the sound tends to bounce off the glass. Fair officials have made significant changes to improve the acoustics of the building in recent years. Many of the biggest names in entertainment have played in this arena.

class="wikitable"

!Performer

!Date

!Reference

Ray Charles and his Augmented Orchestra

|October 8, 1962

|

Johnny Cash

|September 8, 1963

|Billboard, August 31, 1963

The Original Hootenanny: The Journeymen, The Halifax 111, The Geezinslaw Brothers, Jo Mapes, Glenn Yarbrough

|November 1, 1963

|The Daily Tar Heel, October 27, 1963

Caravan of Record Stars: The Shirelles, The Supremes, The Coasters

|July 22, 1964

|

The Four Seasons

|May 4, 1964

|

The Beach Boys, The Embers, The Unknown 4, Inmates

|July 12, 1965

|{{Cite web |title=Vintage Concert Posters - Buy or Sell Concert Posters |url=http://vintageconcertposters.com/_main/Index.cfm?page=api/gallery/photo.cfm&id=40&gid=13&poster=Beach%20Boys%20Dorton%20Arena%201965 |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=vintageconcertposters.com}}{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Concert History of Dorton Arena Raleigh, North Carolina, United States {{!}} Concert Archives |url=https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/dorton-arena?page=2#concert-table |access-date=July 23, 2023 |website=www.concertarchives.org}}

Warner Mack, the Wilburn Brothers, Harold Morrison

|November 26, 1965

|The Daily Tar Heel

The Righteous Brothers

|October 28, 1966

|

Wilson Pickett Show, Jr. Walker and the All Stars,

Sam & Dave, Billy Stewart, James Carr, TV Mama, King Coleman and Al "TNT" Braggs and his orchestra

|November 14, 1966

|

Otis Redding, the Marvelettes, James & Bobby Purify, The Drifters

|January 30, 1967

|

The Supremes

|February 5, 1967

|The Daily Tar Heel, January 12, 1967{{Cite web |title=Diana Ross Supremes Timeline 1967 |url=http://dianarosssupremes.free.fr/Timeline%201967.htm |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=dianarosssupremes.free.fr}}

Lou Rawls

|February 18, 1967

|

The Temptations

|March 12, 1967

|Daily Tar Heel, March 10, 1967

The Beach Boys, Davy Jones

|April 23, 1968 (rescheduled from April 6)

|

The Four Seasons

|May 4, 1968

|Billboard, April 27, 1968

Jimi Hendrix Experience, Fat Mattress

|April 11, 1969

|

Led Zeppelin

|April 8, 1970

|{{Cite web |title=Led Zeppelin {{!}} Official Website J. S. Dorton Arena - April 8, 1970 |url=https://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/j-s-dorton-arena-april-8-1970 |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=Led Zeppelin {{!}} Official Website - Official Website |language=en}}

Jerry Lee Lewis, Linda Gail Lewis

|Aug. 29, 1970

|{{Cite web |title=Concert Tickets |url=http://www.lookatstubs.com/cgi-bin/tickets_searchdb.pl?venue&J.S.%20Dorton%20Arena |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=www.lookatstubs.com}}

The Grand Funk Railroad

|April 23, 1971

|

The Jackson 5

|August 1, 1971

|

Jerry Lee Lewis, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner

|May 28, 1971

|

James Taylor, Carole King

|March 4, 1971

|{{Cite web |title=The Daily Tar Heel from Chapel Hill, North Carolina on March 4, 1971 · Page 3 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/67889414/ |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}

The Jackson 5

|August 1, 1971

|

Black Sabbath

|March 6, 1972

|

King Crimson

|March 29, 1972

|

Jethro Tull, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band

|April 20, 1972

|Billboard, April 22, 1972

Chicago

|April 26, 1972

The Guess Who

|August 10, 1972

|Billboard, August 12, 1972

The Sylvers

|November 16, 1973

|Billboard Magazine, October 27, 1973

Blood Sweat and Tears with the North Carolina Symphony

|January 12, 1974

|Daily Tar Heel, January 9, 1974

Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings

|February 15, 1974

|

Todd Rundgren's Utopia

|March 8, 1974

|

Marvin Gaye, The Independents

|November 16, 1974

|

KISS Rock & Roll Over tour

|November 27, 1976

|{{Cite web |title=KISS Setlist at J.S. Dorton Arena, Raleigh |url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/kiss/1976/js-dorton-arena-raleigh-nc-53d0b795.html |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=setlist.fm |language=en}}

Climax Blues Band

|November 27, 1976

|Billboard, November 27, 1976

The Outlaws, Rick Derringer, Foghat

|January 22, 1977

|{{Cite web |title=Concert History of Dorton Arena Raleigh, North Carolina, United States {{!}} Concert Archives |url=https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/dorton-arena?page=1#concert-table |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=www.concertarchives.org}}The Technician, January 24, 1977

Rick James, Prince

|March 15, 1980

|

Kool and the Gang, The Gap Band, Skyy, Yarbrough and Peoples

|March 27, 1981

|{{Cite web |title=NC State University Libraries' Rare and Unique Digital Collections |url=https://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/technician-v61n73-1981-03-27#?cv=3 |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=d.lib.ncsu.edu}}

PKM

|March 1, 1982

|

Loverboy

|September 1982

|The Technician, September 10, 1982

Prince

|March 12, 1982

|

Maxwell House Give 'em A Hand Concert: Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, Jerry Reed, Lee Greenwood, Cabin Fever

|July 2, 1983

|

Heart

|August 31, 1985

|

Ratt, Bon Jovi

|November 1, 1985

|

George Thorogood

|November 30, 1986

|Daily Tar Heel, December 1, 1986

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble

|February 11, 1987

|

Petra

|November 2, 1990

|{{Cite web |title=Petra Setlist at J.S. Dorton Arena, Raleigh |url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/petra/1990/js-dorton-arena-raleigh-nc-13d0ed91.html |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=setlist.fm |language=en}}

Third Day

|May 18, 2012

|

Thompson Square / Lainey Wilson

|September 23, 2018

|

See also

References

{{Reflist|30em}}