History
The Civic Arena opened in September 1961 with a dome whose sections could retract to open the building to the sky. Its construction cleared a large part of the Lower Hill District, displacing roughly 8,000 residents and hundreds of businesses.
The building's shape inspired both its 'Igloo' nickname and the name of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, who arrived in 1967. The Penguins played there for 43 seasons, and the ABA's Pipers won that league's first title there in 1968.
The Penguins moved across the street to Consol Energy Center (now PPG Paints Arena) in 2010. Following a final concert that June, the arena was taken down between September 2011 and March 2012, and the land is being redeveloped in phases.
Why it matters: A pioneering retractable-roof arena whose look gave the Penguins their name, and whose construction displaced much of the Lower Hill District.
Timeline
- March 12, 1958
Construction began in the Lower Hill District, displacing thousands of residents.
- September 17, 1961
The arena opened and its retractable roof was opened for the crowd; the Ice Capades followed as the first show.
- May 4, 1968Pipers win ABA title[1]
The Pittsburgh Pipers won the first ABA championship in Game 7 at home.
- 2008Stanley Cup presented on its ice[1]
Detroit won the Cup in Pittsburgh, the only time it was presented at the arena.
- May 12, 2010Final Penguins game[1]
Montreal won Game 7 of a playoff series, ending NHL play in the building.
- June 26, 2010
A James Taylor and Carole King concert was the final event.
- September 26, 2011
Demolition began; the last roof panel fell March 31, 2012.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2,3] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Mostly surface parking for PPG Paints Arena, with Wylie Avenue and Fullerton Street re-extended through it; a 4,500-capacity music venue broke ground on part of the site in March 2025[1] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Teams & events
| Pittsburgh Hornets | AHL · 1961–1967 |
|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL · 1967–2010 |
| Pittsburgh Pipers / Condors | ABA · 1967–1972 |
| Duquesne Dukes | NCAA · 1964–1988 · tenant |
| Pittsburgh Gladiators | Arena Football League · 1987–1990 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Civic Auditorium (1961–1961); Mellon Arena (1999–2010); The Igloo |
|---|---|
| Location | 66 Mario Lemieux Place, Lower Hill District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1,2] |
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Hockey, Football, Basketball, Soccer, Boxing & wrestling |
| Level | NHL, ABA, AHL, NCAA, Arena Football League |
| Opened | September 17, 1961[1,2,3] |
| Last used for sports | June 26, 2010[1,3] |
| Demolished | 2011–2012[1,2,3] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Final capacity | 16,940[1] |
| Capacity notes | Final hockey 16,940 (17,132 with standing room); basketball 17,537. |
| Architect | Mitchell & Ritchey[1] |
| Construction cost | $22 million[1,2] |
| Owner / operator | Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County; operated by SMG[1] |
| Closure | Replaced by the new Consol Energy Center (PPG Paints Arena) across the street. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Civic Arena (Pittsburgh) (Wikipedia), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, owner operator, teams
- This day: September 17, 1961 - Civic Arena grand opening, WPXI. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, construction cost, demolished, opened
- 'Burgh's Civic Arena Project Nears Completion (June 6, 2012), Construction Equipment Guide. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, demolished, opened
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Demolition start: Wikipedia and WPXI give September 26, 2011; Construction Equipment Guide says demolition started August 8, 2011 (possibly abatement/preliminary work).
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.