History
The Cox Fence Company built the original octagonal Sportatorium in 1934, and its first wrestling card was held on December 9, 1935. A fire on May 1, 1953, partly destroyed the building; it was rebuilt as a rectangular arena and reopened that September. Besides wrestling and boxing it hosted the Big D Jamboree country music show from 1948 to 1966.
In the 1980s it was the home of World Class Championship Wrestling, run by Jack Adkisson's family, until the promotion folded in 1990. The building closed in 1998, was damaged by an office fire in December 2001 and was demolished in 2003.
Why it matters: Home arena of World Class Championship Wrestling and the Von Erich family.
Timeline
- December 9, 1935First wrestling card[1]
The octagonal building, built in 1934 by the Cox Fence Company, held its first wrestling event.
- May 1, 1953Fire[1]
A fire, rumored to be arson by a rival promoter, partially destroyed the building.
- September 22, 1953Reopened after rebuild[1]
The Sportatorium reopened as a rectangular building.
- December 2001Office fire[1]
A fire caused major damage to the upstairs offices.
- February 2003Demolished[1]
The Sportatorium was demolished.
The site today
| Physical status | Demolished[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Land slated for the Trinity River Project |
| Surviving remnants | The 'World Famous Sportatorium' entrance sign was saved by announcer Doyle King. |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Big D Jamboree | 1948–1966 · event |
|---|---|
| World Class Championship Wrestling | 1982–1990 · 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 | Sportatorium |
|---|---|
| Location | 1000 S. Industrial Blvd (now Riverfront Boulevard), Dallas, Texas 75207, Dallas, Texas[1] |
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Boxing & wrestling |
| Level | Professional wrestling, Boxing |
| Opened | December 9, 1935[1] |
| Last used for sports | 1998[1] |
| Demolished | February 2003[1] |
| Physical status | Demolished |
| Original capacity | 10,000[1] |
| Final capacity | 4,500[1] |
| Capacity notes | The original octagonal building reportedly seated about 10,000; Wikipedia's infobox gives 4,500. |
| Owner / operator | K. R. Adkisson Enterprises, Inc.[1] |
Documented details
- World Class Championship Wrestling, run by Jack Adkisson (Fritz Von Erich), whose sons were its top stars, was the most successful promotion to run regularly there until it folded in 1990.[1]
- The weekly Big D Jamboree country music show ran there from 1948 to 1966, with portions broadcast on CBS Radio.[1]
Sources
- Dallas Sportatorium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, coordinates, demolished, events, opened, owner operator
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Demolition: infobox February 2003; article text spring 2003.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.