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The Wachovia Center (formerly known as the '''CoreStates Center''' and the '''First Union Center''') is an Indoor Arena located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , in the United States . The Arena was completed in 1996 on what was once the site of John F. Kennedy Stadium at a cost of $206 million, largely privately financed (though the city and state helped to pay for the local Infrastructure ). The arena seats 21,600 for Basketball and 19,519 for hockey. It has 126 luxury suites and 1,880 club seats. The arena was originally named for CoreStates Bank , which agreed to pay $40 million over 21 years for the naming rights, with additional terms to be settled later for an additional eight year period at the end of the contract. The naming rights were taken by First Union Bank in a merger in 1997 and then by Wachovia Bank in a 2003 merger with First Union. While under the First Union name, it was affectionately referred to as the "F.U. Center" by Philadelphians. Due to this, a name alteration was considered, the "First Union National Center." However, this was met with much derision from fans and athletes who played in the facility, such as former Philadelphia Flyers forward Brantt Myhres , who said the name change would make the building sound like a "circus venue." Because of the 2004-05 NHL Lockout , and later in the season, the unavailability of ice at the Wachovia Spectrum caused by other events at that venue, the Flyers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms , played selected games in the arena, including the entire 2004-05 Phantoms playoff schedule, including a record 20,103 in the Calder Cup clinching Game 4. This was repeated for the first two games of the 2005-06 season. NOTABLE EVENTS
TEAMS The Wachovia Center is home to the:
TRIVIA The arena was the site of and was used as the site of the Republican Convention that nominated Senator Arnold Vinick for President on the TV show '' The West Wing '' in the 2004-05 season. |
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