Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rosemont, Illinois, United States, northwest of Chicago, located at the corner of Mannheim Road and Lunt Avenue, just north of Mannheim Road's interchange with the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of O'Hare International Airport. The facility opened in 1980 as the Rosemont Horizon and seats 17,500 for basketball and 16,692 for ice hockey.
The arena is home to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) and has served as the home arena for a number of other professional and collegiate teams, most notably the DePaul Blue Demons from 1980 through 2017.
History
The Village of Rosemont issued $19 million in bonds to finance the cost of the arena with exclusive contracts with Araserv, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and MFG International.
On August 13, 1979, the uncompleted roof of the Rosemont Horizon collapsed, killing five construction workers and injuring 16 others.[4] The collapse was featured in the "Engineering Disasters" episode of Modern Marvels, first broadcast by The History Channel on April 20, 2006.
One distinctive feature of the Allstate Arena is its timber roof, designed to muffle the sounds of any passing aircraft descending into and taking off from nearby O'Hare International Airport.
The facility, originally named Rosemont Horizon, was intended to be the home of the Chicago Horizons of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and was home of the 1980–1981 season but the franchise folded in 1982. It was also intended to be the home of the WHA's Chicago Cougars, but the team folded in 1975, three years before the arena broke ground. The first concert held at the Horizon was Fleetwood Mac on May 15, 1980, as they cut a red ribbon on the stage during the opening of the show.
Insurance company Allstate signed a 10-year contract worth more than $10 million on June 9, 1999, to acquire naming rights to the arena and renovate it.[6]
On December 29, 2002, Creed gave a concert at the arena with lead singer Scott Stapp obnoxiously high and drunk. After barely performing and mumbling incoherently through the first songs, he fell asleep onstage for a few minutes and the show ended early. This performance led four concertgoers to sue the band for over $2 million, and contributed to Creed's breakup.[7]
On December 14, 2003, the floor at the Allstate Arena was named "Ray and Marge Meyer Court" in honor of Basketball Hall of FamerRay Meyer and his wife. Meyer coached DePaul's men's team for 42 seasons and is the school's all-time winningest coach.[8][9]
Events
Arena during the 2019 Calder Cup Finals
Sports
Arena being set up for hockey ahead of game 1 of the 2022 Calder Cup Finals
The Arena Football League also has a long history with Allstate Arena. The Horizon hosted an arena football test game in 1987 and the Chicago Bruisers were an original Arena Football League team when the league began in 1987. The Bruisers played from 1987 to 1989, and hosted ArenaBowl II in Rosemont, losing to the Detroit Drive, 24–13. In 2001, Arena Football returned to the arena with the Chicago Rush. The Rush increased its home attendance each year from 2001 to 2008, and from 2004 to 2008 averaged between 14,000 and 16,000 fans per game. The Rush's highest home attendance is 16,391 on June 23, 2007, against the Kansas City Brigade. After the AFL restructured in 2009, the Rush returned to the Arena Football League.[11]
During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Allstate Arena was the site of the Champs for Charity Hockey Game where current and former Chicago Blackhawks hosted fellow NHL players in front of 10,000+ fans.
DePaul left the arena after the 2016–17 season for the new Wintrust Arena in Chicago, leaving the arena without a permanent college basketball tenant, although Northwestern University moved its men's home basketball games to the arena temporarily for the 2017–18 season before returning to its on-campus home at Welsh–Ryan Arena in Evanston, after a full-academic-year renovation of that facility.
As of 2024, there have only been three instances where WWE has hosted an event in Chicago outside the Allstate Arena; that being SummerSlam 1994, a WWE Road To WrestleMania (34) Live Event, and a 2018 Holiday Tour Live Event, all held at the United Center.
Styx recorded their reunion live album Return To Paradise at the arena on September 21, 1996.
Gabriel Iglesias' Netflix special, I'm Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hungry, was filmed at the arena in 2016.
Creed incident
On December 29, 2002, rock band Creed were set to perform on tour promoting their album Weathered. Lead singer Scott Stapp (who had endured a widely publicized addiction to alcohol) arrived to the performance too intoxicated to enunciate any lyrics. The band performed three songs before Stapp's incoherent behavior began to noticeably affect their ability to perform. Four concertgoers sued Stapp and the band for failing to complete their performance, though this lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, and many criticized Stapp for his behavior throughout the incident.[23] Creed later issued an apology on Stapp's behalf.[24]
Reagan-Bush rally
George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan holding a 1984 campaign rally in the arena
^"1984 Election Campaign". www.reaganlibrary.gov. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. n.d. Retrieved July 8, 2017. President Reagan and George Bush waving at a Reagan-Bush Rally at the Rosemont Horizon Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 11/4/84..........Reagan watching the election results at a Private Dinner at Jorgensen residence in Los Angeles, California. 11/6/84
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