Dorton Arena

History

Dorton Arena was originally named the State Fair Arena when it opened in 1952 on the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina. The building was designed by architect Maciej Nowicki of the North Carolina State University Department of Architecture, who was killed in an airplane crash before the construction phase. Local architect William Henley Dietrick supervised the completion of the arena using Nowicki's innovative design. It was dedicated to Dr. J. S. Dorton, former North Carolina State Fair manager, in 1961.

Dorton Arena was one of only two new building in the United States given a 1953 National Honor Award by the American Institute of Architects. Dorton Arena was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1973. It was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2002.

Architecture

Dorton Arena was the first structure in the world to use a cable-supported roof. Its design features a steel cable supported saddle-shaped roof in tension, held up by parabolic concrete arches in compression. The arches cross about 26 feet above ground level and continue underground, where their ends are held together by more steel cables in tension. Its design features a steel cable supported saddle-shaped roof in tension, held up by parabolic concrete arches in compression. The arches cross about twenty feet above ground level and continue underground, where their ends are held together by more steel cables in tension. The outer walls of the arena support next to no weight at all.

The arena served as an inspiration to many architects and civil engineers, both at home and abroad. This led to a boom in lightweight constructions such as the Europe 1-Broadcasting House (1954) in Überherrn, the auditorium Paul-Emile Janson (1956) in Bruxelles, the Ingalls Rink (1958) in New Haven, the Športová hala Pasienky (1958) in Bratislava, the Yoyogi National Gymnasium (1964) in Tokyo, the Ice Aréna (1965) in Prešov and the Sporthal Beverwijk (1971) in Beverwijk. Most famous – albeit not in terms of the dysfunctional foundations – is the Congress Hall (1957) in Berlin. As a prominent symbol of the German-American alliance during the Cold War era and beyond it caused similar constructions in various parts of Germany.

Events

Sports

Dorton Arena has hosted numerous sporting events and teams throughout the decades. The longest-running tenant was the Raleigh IceCaps (ECHL) ice hockey team from 1991–1998. The American Basketball Association's Carolina Cougars also played some games in the arena from 1969–74. It was also the home of the Carolina Rollergirls (WFTDA).

Dorton Arena was a popular venue for professional wrestling in the 70s and 80s, with sometimes weekly matches. Wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper defeated "Nature Boy" Ric Flair for the National Wrestling Alliance U.S. Heavyweight championship in Dorton Arena on Jan. 27, 1981.

Beginning in 2016, it became the home of the Triangle Torch in American Indoor Football. The Torch have since played as members of Supreme Indoor Football but left Dorton Arena before the 2018 season in the American Arena League.

Other events

Besides hosting sporting events, the arena is also used for concerts during the North Carolina State Fair. Various conventions and fairs also use the floorspace of the arena as an exhibition space, often in conjunction with the neighboring Jim Graham building.

The arena has hosted the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) regional robotics competition and was the first space to hold a regional in the state.

Both Shaw University and Meredith College use Dorton Arena as a site for graduation, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics uses the facility as a rain site for their commencement exercises.

Concerts (non-fair)

Dorton Arena and Reynolds Coliseum were the only concert venues in the Capital City for many decades before Coastal Credit Union Music Park and Lenovo Center were built. The building was originally designed for livestock shows, and before popular music concerts began to be regularly hosted in arenas, so while there are unobstructed views of the stage, the sound tends to bounce off the glass. Fair officials have made significant changes to improve the acoustics of the building in recent years. Many of the biggest names in entertainment have played in this arena.

References

References

1. {{NRISref. 2009a
2. Survey and Planning Unit Staff. (August 1972). "J.S. Dorton Arena". North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office.
3. "The Record Reports. 1953 National Honor Awards for Architecture", ''[[Architectural Record]]'', Vol. 114, No. 2, pg. 12, July 1953.
4. "Extended history of the J.S. Dorton Arena". North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.
5. "Dorton Arena". American Society of Civil Engineers.
6. (November–December 2002). "Dorton Arena, On the occasion of its 50th anniversary and its dedication as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark". [[American Scientist]].
7. [[:File:Europe1 Berus.jpg. Europe1 Berus]]
8. [https://monument.heritage.brussels/medias/buildings/F1000006select.JPG] Auditorium "Paul-Emile Janson"
9. [[:File:Slovakia bratislava Gopass Aréna.jpg. Gopass Aréna (Športová hala Pasienky)]]
10. [[:File:Presov10Slovakia312.JPG. "Ice Arena" in Prešov]]
11. [[:File:Exterieur, interieur, bar, ingang sporthal Beverwijk, mei 1971 - 34.jpg. Exterieur "Sporthal Beverwijk"]]
12. [[:File:Haus der Kulturen der Welt 01.jpg. Congress Hall/House of World Cultures in Berlin]]
13. [[:File:Feierabendhaus Knapsack 01.JPG. "Feierabendhaus" (house for after working hours) in Knapsack (Hürth)]]
14. [[:File:Teepott.jpg. "Teepott" (Tea-Pot) in Warnemünde/Rostock]]
15. "Remember the ABA: Carolina Cougars".
16. (August 12, 2015). "AIF in Raleigh NC begins today as new team has been awarded to Raleigh, NC.". Triangle Torch.
17. Billboard, August 31, 1963
18. ''[[The Daily Tar Heel]]'', October 27, 1963
19. "Vintage Concert Posters - Buy or Sell Concert Posters".
20. (2023). "Concert History of Dorton Arena Raleigh, North Carolina, United States {{!}} Concert Archives".
21. ''[[The Daily Tar Heel]]''
22. ''[[The Daily Tar Heel]]'', January 12, 1967
23. "Diana Ross Supremes Timeline 1967".
24. ''[[The Daily Tar Heel. Daily Tar Heel]],'' March 10, 1967
25. ''Billboard'', April 27, 1968
26. "Led Zeppelin {{!}} Official Website J. S. Dorton Arena - April 8, 1970".
27. "Concert Tickets".
28. "The Daily Tar Heel from Chapel Hill, North Carolina on March 4, 1971 · Page 3".
29. ''Billboard,'' April 22, 1972
30. ''Billboard'', August 12, 1972
31. ''Billboard Magazine'', October 27, 1973
32. ''Daily Tar Heel'', January 9, 1974
33. "KISS Setlist at J.S. Dorton Arena, Raleigh".
34. ''Billboard,'' November 27, 1976
35. "Concert History of Dorton Arena Raleigh, North Carolina, United States {{!}} Concert Archives".
36. ''The Technician'', January 24, 1977
37. "NC State University Libraries' Rare and Unique Digital Collections".
38. ''The Technician,'' September 10, 1982
39. ''Daily Tar Heel,'' December 1, 1986
40. "Petra Setlist at J.S. Dorton Arena, Raleigh".