Alliant Energy PowerHouse

About the venue

The center hosts local sporting events and concerts, most notably the Iowa State High School Girls Volleyball Tournament and the Iowa High School Team Dual Wrestling Championships. It was opened in 1979 as the Five Seasons Center and hosted the English progressive-rock band Yes as its first official concert event on April 25, 1979. The arena has a basketball capacity of about 6,900 and can seat up to 8,600 for concerts. It served as the primary sports and entertainment venue in Eastern Iowa until the completion of Carver–Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City four years later. Former professional tenants include the Cedar Rapids River Raiders of the United States Basketball League, the Cedar Rapids Sharpshooters of the Global Basketball Association and the Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets of the Continental Basketball Association. Numerous commencement ceremonies are held at the arena.

The venue hosted the initial World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Souled Out event in 1997. It also hosted WCW's Clash of the Champions XXVIII event in 1994 and a WCW Monday Nitro event in 1999. As the Five Seasons Center, it was the site of two early Ultimate Fighting Championship events: UFC 21 in 1999, and UFC 26 the following year. One notable wrestling match in 1989 had Andre the Giant arrested by police after attacking a KCRG-TV photographer filming the match. He was charged with assault and later acquitted, though he was still fined for criminal mischief and damage to KCRG's equipment.

In early June 2008, the U.S. Cellular Center was flooded with water from the Iowa flood of 2008.

The arena closed in July 2011 to undergo renovations as part of a larger project to build a convention complex around the site, which also includes renovations to the new DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. Events were diverted to other venues in the area, including the ImOn Ice Arena (also managed by VenuWorks) and Carver-Hawkeye Arena, during that time. The complex was re-opened for a concert by Lady Antebellum on June 1, 2013. It was selected as the host arena for the NCAA Division II National Volleyball tournament December 12–14, 2013.

It was home to the Cedar Rapids Titans/River Kings of the Indoor Football League from 2014 to 2019, now of American Indoor Football since 2024.

On October 17, 2014, US Cellular Center held an NBA preseason game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The City of Cedar Rapids announced on October 23, 2020, that it had reached a naming rights agreement with Alliant Energy, the region's electricity provider, that took effect July 1 and lasts twelve years.

Naming history

• Five Seasons Center (January 25, 1979-August 2000)
• U.S. Cellular Center (August 2000-June 30, 2020)
• Alliant Energy PowerHouse (July 1, 2020-present)

Noted performers

• AC/DC

• Alan Jackson

• Barry Manilow

• Dierks Bentley

• Dolly Parton

• Elton John

• Eric Clapton

• Flyleaf

• Godsmack

• Grateful Dead

• John Denver

• John Mellencamp

• Keith Urban

• Kenny Chesney

• Kenny Rogers

• Kid Rock

• KISS

• Korn

• MC Hammer

• Metallica

• Nickelback

• The Oak Ridge Boys

• Ozzy Osbourne

• Red Hot Chili Peppers

• Tesla

• Toby Keith

• Trans-Siberian Orchestra

• Van Halen

• Widespread Panic

• Yes

• ZZ Top Sources:Sources for noted performers at the arena:

• Photos: American icon Dolly Parton plays Cedar Rapids - Little Village (littlevillagemag.com)

References

UFC 26 Yoyogi National Gymnasium Lakefront Arena

References

1. (18 October 2019). "Andre the Giant vs. the Cedar Rapids Police: 30 years later".
2. (May 23, 2018). "Cedar Rapids flood recovery 10 years after 2008 disaster". [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]].
3. (March 2011). "CR Progress: Cedar Rapids Convention Complex".
4. (August 29, 2011). "Pro football coming to Cedar Rapids?".
5. . (June 2, 2014). ["Timberwolves To Host Preseason Game In Cedar Rapids"](https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/06/02/timberwolves-to-host-preseason-game-in-cedar-rapids/). *[[CBS Television Stations]]*.
6. "Cedar Rapids downtown convention center now known as Alliant Energy Power House". [[Gray Television]].
7. . (March 12, 1979). ["Pro-Tennis Exhibition"](https://dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu/DI/1979/di1979-03-12.pdf). *Student Publications, Inc.*.
8. (October 23, 2020). "CEDAR RAPIDS' DOWNTOWN ARENA GETS NEW NAME". [[Townsquare Media]].