Upstate Medical University Arena

(Redirected from Onondaga County War Memorial Coliseum) Arena in Syracuse, New York

Upstate Medical University Arena
Construction

Exterior of the venue (c.2008)
Upstate Medical University ArenaLocation within New YorkShow map of New YorkUpstate Medical University ArenaLocation within the United StatesShow map of the United States
Full name	Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial
Former names	Onondaga County War Memorial (1951–1999) Oncenter War Memorial Arena (2000–2019)
Address	515 Montgomery Street
Location	Syracuse, New York
Coordinates	43°2′41″N 76°8′54″W / 43.04472°N 76.14833°W / 43.04472; -76.14833
Owner	Onondaga County
Operator	ASM Global
Capacity	7,000 Detailed capacity Concerts (in the round): 7,200 Concerts (end stage): 6,800 Banquets: 1,340 Assembly Hall: 350 Hockey: 5,800
Broke ground	October 22, 1949
Opened	September 12, 1951
Renovated	1994 2018
Construction cost	$3.7 million ($47.6 million in 2023 dollars)
Architect	Edgarton & Edgarton
Structural engineer	Ammann & Whitney
General contractor	W. E. O'Neil Construction Co.
Tenants
Syracuse Warriors (AHL) (1951–1954) Syracuse Orange men's basketball (NCAA) (1951–1952; 1955–1962) Syracuse Nationals (NBA) (1951–1963) Syracuse Blazers (EHL/NAHL) (1967–1977) Syracuse Eagles (AHL) (1974–1975) Syracuse Firebirds (AHL) (1979–1980) Syracuse Crunch (AHL) (1994–present) Syracuse Smash (NLL) (1997–2000) Syracuse Soldiers (AIFL) (2006) Syracuse Silver Knights (MASL) (2011–2018)

The Upstate Medical University Arena (originally known as Onondaga County War Memorial and later as the Oncenter War Memorial Arena) is a multi-purpose arena located in Syracuse, New York. It is part of the Oncenter Complex. Designed by Edgarton and Edgarton and built from 1949 through 1951, the structure is significant as an example of a World War I, World War II and Aroostook War commemorative and as "an early and sophisticated example of single-span thin-shell concrete roof construction." It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The Upstate Medical University Arena has been renovated twice, in 1994 and 2018.

Naming rights

On December 20, 2019, Onondaga County, Upstate Medical University, and the Syracuse Crunch announced an 11-year sponsorship agreement that includes naming rights of the Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial. The sponsorship also includes health programming and the continuation of Upstate's sponsorship with the Syracuse Crunch.

Tenants

The Upstate Medical University Arena is home to the Syracuse Crunch ice hockey team.

Previous teams to call the War Memorial home included the NBA's Syracuse Nationals, the NLL's Syracuse Smash, the Major Arena Soccer League's Syracuse Silver Knights, and several now-defunct American Hockey League teams. The Nationals defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons in a deciding seventh game at home to win the 1954–55 NBA Championship. The War Memorial also hosted the NBA All-Star Game in 1961 and the NCAA Frozen Four in 1967 and 1971. The Syracuse Orange women's ice hockey occasionally play their games at the arena, having played 13 games there since 2008.

The 1977 film Slap Shot included the War Memorial among the various arenas used as shooting locations for in-game action.

Notable events

The arena played host to four games of the 1954-55 NBA Finals and hosted the pivotal Game 7 where the Nationals beat the Fort Wayne Pistons 92–91.

Syracuse also hosted the NBA All Star Game in 1961. Three of the Syracuse Nationals players were on the team.

The Onondaga County War Memorial was home to the annual NYSPHSAA wrestling tournament in 1968, from 1970 to 1972, and then for 29-straight years, 1974–2003. The championship event has since been hosted by various venues around the state.

Professional wrestling has also experienced its share of history at the War Memorial. Shortly after completion of filming of the WCW-produced film Ready to Rumble, actor David Arquette won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship title on April 26, 2000, in a taping of the company's weekly Thunder broadcast, which is often cited as being the first legitimate sign of the demise of WCW. It also hosted the first WWF In Your House pay-per-view in 1995. In April 1998 the arena hosted WWF Monday Night Raw. The arena occasionally hosts WWE house shows.

The American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch have hosted the AHL All-Star Classic twice (1998, 2016) and reached the Calder Cup Finals in 2013 and 2017.

The arena hosted the opening ceremonies and several games of the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship from September 18 to 26, 2015.

It is also a prominent concert venue in the region, which includes various Queen, KISS, Bruce Springsteen, The Grateful Dead, Phish and Aerosmith shows among numerous others over the years. The venue was included among the stops on Bob Dylan's legendary 1965 electric tour with The Hawks.Elvis Presley also performed at the venue, July 25 and 26, 1976. An audience recording featuring both shows was released in 2015 under the title Onondaga Nights.

The Oncenter War Memorial Arena was the first professional hockey arena to install LED lighting in 2012, provided by Ephesus Lighting.

On top of the arena's stage are the words, "In memory of our service veterans."

The War Memorial was also used as a vaccination and testing site during the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

"War Memorial Arena: Seating Capacities". The Oncenter Official Website. ASM Syracuse. March 19, 2020. Archived from the original on April 4, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2019 – via Adobe Document Cloud.
^ "Memorial Opening to Make History" (PDF). The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York. September 12, 1951. p. 23. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
"Cities to Vote on Bonds Issues over Billion". Chicago Tribune. November 5, 1951. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
"Around...Our Town And Country". Warsaw Times-Union. Vol. 97, no. 240. Warsaw, Indiana. October 11, 1951. p. 2. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
LaFrank, Kathleen (October 1988). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Onondaga County War Memorial". State of New York. Retrieved May 2, 2009.and Accompanying 21 photos, exterior and interior, from construction through 1988
"ONONDAGA COUNTY, UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, SYRACUSE CRUNCH ANNOUNCE UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY ARENA AT ONONDAGA COUNTY WAR MEMORIAL". Syracuse Crunch. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
"Onondaga County War Memorial Stadium Renovations Ahead of Syracuse Crunch Season". Local SYR. 11 July 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
"1961 NBA All-Star recap". NBA.com.
"Boston University Championship Teams" (PDF). Boston University Terriers.
Wilcox, Timmy (8 February 2024). "SU ice hockey's return to Upstate Medical Arena reflects strong bond with Syracuse Crunch". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
"Remembering a Legend". The Post-Standard. Syracuse. September 28, 2008. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
Kirst, Sean (2015-04-10). "NBA championship, 60 years ago today: Syracuse Nats beat Pistons, become world champions". syracuse. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
"1961 NBA All-Star recap". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
"NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships - Tournament History". Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
"WWF In Your House: Premiere". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
"Oncenter War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, New York, United States". profightdb.com.
"Lacrosse is Coming Home to Onondaga Nation". Federation of International Lacrosse (Press release). 2 April 2015.
"NOV 21, 1965 Syracuse, NY War Memorial". Bobdylan.com. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
Newcomb, Tim (July 1, 2015). "How LED lighting in NHL arenas is making game better". Sports Illustrated.

External links

Official website

Events and tenants
Preceded byFirst Ontario Centre Hamilton, Ontario	Home of the Syracuse Crunch 1994–present	Succeeded byCurrent
Preceded byState Fair Coliseum	Home of the Syracuse Nationals 1951–1963	Succeeded byConvention Hall & Philadelphia Arena
Preceded byConvention Hall	Host of the NBA All-Star Game 1961	Succeeded byKiel Auditorium
Preceded byWilliams Arena Minneapolis	Host of the Frozen Four 1967	Succeeded byDuluth Arena Duluth, Minnesota
Preceded byOlympic Center Lake Placid, New York	Host of the Frozen Four 1971	Succeeded byBoston Garden Boston

v t e Syracuse Crunch
Franchise formerly the Hamilton Canucks Founded in 1992 Based in Syracuse, New York
People	Julien BriseBois Benoit Groulx
Arenas	Copps Coliseum Upstate Medical University Arena
Rivalries	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Utica Comets Rochester Americans Grand Rapids Griffins Cleveland Monsters
Affiliates	NHL Tampa Bay Lightning ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

Current arenas in the American Hockey League

Eastern
Conference

Atlantic	Amica Mutual Pavilion Bojangles Coliseum Giant Center MassMutual Center Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza PPL Center Total Mortgage Arena XL Center
North	Adirondack Bank Center Blue Cross Arena CAA Arena Coca-Cola Coliseum Place Bell Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Upstate Medical University Arena

Western
Conference

Central	Allstate Arena BMO Center Canada Life Centre H-E-B Center at Cedar Park UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena Van Andel Arena Wells Fargo Arena
Pacific	Abbotsford Centre Acrisure Arena Blue Arena Lee's Family Forum Mechanics Bank Arena Pechanga Arena Scotiabank Saddledome Tech CU Arena Toyota Arena Tucson Convention Center

v t e Sports in Syracuse, New York
Professional	Syracuse Mets IL Governors' Cup Thruway Cup Syracuse Crunch AHL AC Syracuse Pulse NISA
College	Syracuse Orange ACC football men's basketball women's basketball men's lacrosse women's lacrosse men's soccer women's soccer women's field hockey women's ice hockey Le Moyne Dolphins NEC men's basketball women's basketball Onondaga Community College Lazers MSAC SUNY-ESF Mighty Oaks USCAA
Venues	JMA Wireless Dome Le Moyne Events Center NBT Bank Stadium Upstate Medical University Arena Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion
Historic teams	Syracuse Nationals Syracuse Orangemen (baseball) Syracuse Pros Syracuse Scorpions Syracuse Smash Syracuse Stars (American Association) Syracuse Stars (hockey) Syracuse Stars (National League) Syracuse Silver Knights
Historic venues	Archbold Stadium Manley Field House MacArthur Stadium Newell Park Star Park Toyota Coliseum
Other/ related	Assault City Roller Derby Box lacrosse Empire State Marathon ESPN Radio 97.7 History of lacrosse First Nations Lacrosse Association The Score 1260 Ski country Spectrum Sports Sports in New York Syracuse Baseball Wall of Fame Syracuse ISP Sports Network WAER
Category sportspeople Commons WikiProject

v t e City of Syracuse, New York
Mayor Metropolitan area Onondaga Lake Onondaga County Central New York Finger Lakes Upstate New York
History	Onondaga Nation Great Peacemaker Hiawatha French Sainte Marie Simon Le Moyne Ethnic groups Erie Canal Historic places Mayors Notable citizens John Wilkinson Samuel Joseph May Matilda Joslyn Gage Louis Marshall Railroads Syracuse station OnTrack Towns Underground Railroad
Economy	Transportation airport Transportation Center/Amtrak train station bus service Interstate highways I-81 I-481 I-90 I-690 Air National Guard Bristol Myers Squibb Carrier Global Destiny USA Downtown Syracuse Armory Square Clinton Square Columbus Circle Lockheed Martin National Grid O'Brien & Gere Oneida Nation Enterprises Turning Stone Resort Casino Raymour & Flanigan Seneca Data SRC University Hill Wegmans
Education	Bryant & Stratton College Empire State University Le Moyne College Onondaga Community College SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry SUNY Oswego Syracuse City School District Syracuse University SUNY Upstate Medical University
Sports	Syracuse Mets NBT Bank Stadium Syracuse Crunch Upstate Medical University Arena Syracuse Orange JMA Wireless Dome football men's basketball women's basketball men's lacrosse women's lacrosse men's soccer women's soccer women's field hockey women's ice hockey Le Moyne Dolphins Le Moyne Events Center men's basketball women's basketball OCC Lazers ESF Mighty Oaks Ski country
Culture and parks	Annual events Burnet Park Erie Canal Museum Everson Museum of Art Pass Arboretum Museum of Science and Technology New York State Fair Light Work Thornden Park Niagara Mohawk Building Old Erie Canal Onondaga Creekwalk Onondaga Lake Park Ra Ra Riot Rosamond Gifford Zoo Syracuse in fiction Syracuse Stage Thornden Park
Category lists neighborhoods people sports transportation Commons WikiProject

v t e Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball
Venues	State Fair Coliseum (1948–1951) Onondaga County War Memorial (1951–1952, 1955–1957) North Syracuse High School (1951–1952) West Jefferson Street Armory (1952–1955, 1957–1962) Ted Grant Court (1962–present)
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25

v t e Syracuse Orange men's basketball
Venues	Archbold Gymnasium (1908–1947; 1952–1955) State Fair Coliseum (1947–1951) Onondaga County War Memorial (1951–1952; 1955–1962) Manley Field House (1962–1980) JMA Wireless Dome (1980–present) Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center (practice)
Rivalries	UConn
Culture & lore	"McNamara's Band" Otto the Orange Scandal 6-overtime game Syracuse Sports Network
People	Head coaches NBA players Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Helms and Premo-Porretta national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics; NCAA championships in bolded italics

v t e Philadelphia 76ers
Founded in 1946 Formerly the Syracuse Nationals (1946–1963) Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Franchise	History All-time roster Draft history Head coaches Seasons Current season
Arenas	State Fair Coliseum Onondaga County War Memorial Convention Hall Philadelphia Arena Spectrum Wells Fargo Center 76 Place at Market East (proposed)
Personnel	Owner(s) Josh Harris and David Blitzer (Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment) President Daryl Morey General manager Elton Brand Head coach Nick Nurse
G League affiliate	Delaware Blue Coats
Retired numbers	2 3 4 6 10 13 15 24 32 34 MIC
NBA championships	1955 1967 1983
Rivalries	Boston Celtics
Culture and lore	Allen Iverson "Fo', fo', fo'" Wilt the Stilt Dr. J The Boston Strangler Dave Zinkoff "Havlicek stole the ball" Curse of Billy Penn Hip Hop Rights to Ricky Sanchez Pat Croce Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame Sir Charles The Kangaroo Kid Harvey Pollack Bill Campbell Marc Zumoff Kate Scott Nine and 73-ers Comcast Spectacor Sixers Post Game Live Alan Horwitz Pattison station South Philadelphia Sports Complex Hustle
Category Commons

v t e U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Topics	Architectural style categories Contributing property Historic district History of the National Register of Historic Places Keeper of the Register National Park Service Property types
Lists by state	List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Lists by insular areas	American Samoa Guam Minor Outlying Islands Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico Virgin Islands
Lists by associated state	Federated States of Micronesia Marshall Islands Palau
Other areas	District of Columbia American Legation, Morocco
Related	National Historic Preservation Act Historic Preservation Fund List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places portal Category

Categories: