▁held ▁within ▁a ▁central ▁ring . ▁The ▁floor ▁of ▁the ▁ball room ▁is ▁flat . ▁The ▁two ▁main ▁bal con ies ▁– ▁which ▁are ▁unus ually ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁ground ▁and ▁g ently ▁s loped ▁– ▁seat ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 1 , 2 0 0 . ▁The ▁third ▁bal con y ▁has ▁been ▁stri pped ▁of ▁seats ▁and ▁is ▁not ▁used . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁Manh attan ▁Center ▁was ▁constructed ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁by ▁Oscar ▁Ham mer stein ▁I ▁as ▁the ▁Manh attan ▁Opera ▁House , ▁the ▁home ▁for ▁his ▁Manh attan ▁Opera ▁Company , ▁an ▁alternative ▁to ▁the ▁popular ▁yet ▁compar atively ▁expensive ▁Metropolitan ▁Opera . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Opera ▁paid ▁Ham mer stein ▁$ 1 . 2 ▁million ▁to ▁stop ▁operating ▁the ▁Manh attan ▁Opera ▁House ▁as ▁an ▁opera ▁ven ue ▁for ▁ten ▁years . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁elabor ately ▁decor ated ▁the ater ▁being ▁used ▁for ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁events , ▁including ▁v au dev ille . ▁ ▁The ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁center ▁changed ▁hands ▁multiple ▁times ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁dec ades , ▁with ▁the ▁the ater ▁being ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁large ▁ball room ▁and ▁being ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁Fre em ason ' s ▁temple ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁and ▁a ▁trade ▁union ▁headquarters ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁before ▁falling ▁into ▁dis use ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁before ▁being ▁bought ▁by ▁Sun ▁My ung