Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena (Spokane Arena) is a multi-purpose arena in the northwestern United States, located in Spokane, Washington. Opened in 1995, it is home to the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. Facility Construction With an aging Spokane Coliseum, along with a need for a larger facility more than twice the coliseum's capacity, the Spokane City Council and Board of Spokane County Commissioners formed the Spokane Public Facilities District (SPFD) to acquire, construct, own and operate sports and entertainment facilities with contiguous parking facilities. In 1990, the SPFD board members unanimously agreed on the following recommendations made by an economic feasibility/market study. The recommendations were: To build an arena opposed to a domed stadium An arena that could seat 12,000 to 14,000 with expansion capabilities To build the new arena on city-owned land located adjacent to the old coliseum with on-site parking for 2,000 automobiles Voters rejected the Spokane Arena four times in six years before agreeing to build it in 1991. In the fall of that year, two ballot measures were put out to voters, and passed: One, to publicly finance the construction of the arena through a property tax bond issue worth US$38 million Two, a measure to validate the SPFD. Validation was important, because it would allow the district to implement a 2% hotel tax to further fund construction. In the fall of 1991, another funding measure was put out to voters and was passed. It involved a 0.1% raise in the sales tax. The passage of all three measures completed the $44.8 million financining needed to build the arena. Ground was broken on March 5, 1993, and it opened 2½ years later, in September 1995. Building facts The Spokane Arena has a capacity for: 12,638 for end-stage concerts 12,494 for center-stage shows 12,210 for basketball 10,771 for arena football 10,366 for ice hockey 6,951 for half-house shows The arena has a state-of-the-art audio and video system. It consists of a Viacom Sports 12 mm LED display, which is capable of being used as two separate units. The video board has exceptional color reproduction and the best off-angle viewing available for any LED format. It can even be moved forward approximately and down to approximately off the arena floor. The arena also features a 350° color LED ribbon board, which is mounted on the fascia of the Spokane Arena bowl. It is capable of displaying