History
The Denver Auditorium opened on July 7, 1908, and hosted that year's Democratic National Convention. Its arena held the AAU basketball finals from 1937 to 1967 and was home to the NBL/NBA Denver Nuggets from 1948 to 1950 and the ABA Denver Rockets/Nuggets from 1967 to 1975.
The arena portion was demolished in 1990 and its site became the Temple Buell Theatre, while the auditorium portion was remodeled in 2005 into the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.
Why it matters: Denver's first major-league basketball home and host of the 1908 Democratic National Convention.
Timeline
- 1908Democratic National Convention[1]
The building hosted the 1908 Democratic National Convention.
- July 7, 1908Opens[1]
The Denver Auditorium opened.
- December 26, 1968Led Zeppelin's first U.S. show[1]
Led Zeppelin played its first U.S. concert here.
- 1990Arena demolished[1]
The arena portion, built in 1953, was demolished.
The site today
| Physical status | Partially demolished[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Denver Center for the Performing Arts: the arena became the Temple Buell Theatre and the auditorium the Ellie Caulkins Opera House[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Denver Nuggets | ABA/NBA · 1948–1950 |
|---|---|
| Denver Rockets/Nuggets | ABA · 1967–1975 |
| Denver Racquets | World TeamTennis · 1974 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Location | 1323 Champa St, Denver, Colorado |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Basketball, Tennis |
| Level | NBA, ABA, NBL |
| Opened | July 7, 1908[1] |
| Last used for sports | 1990[1] |
| Demolished | 1990[1] |
| Physical status | Partially demolished |
| Original capacity | 12,500[1] |
| Final capacity | 6,841[1] |
| Capacity notes | Arena 12,500 originally, 6,841 after renovation. |
| Architect | Robert Willison[1] |
| Construction cost | $400,000[1] |
Documented details
Sources
- Denver Auditorium Arena, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, teams
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)
- Wikipedia says the arena portion was demolished in 1990 and also that it became the Temple Buell Theatre; the exact relationship is unclear.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.