History
The city built the arena as part of the HemisFair '68 grounds near the Tower of the Americas. It opened in April 1968 with about 10,000 seats for basketball.
The Spurs began play at HemisFair Arena in 1973 and stayed there through their ABA years and into the NBA. Seating was expanded to just over 16,000 by the early 1990s. Elvis Presley's 1972 show there was filmed for Elvis on Tour.
The Spurs left for the Alamodome in 1993. The arena closed at the end of May 1995 and was demolished the next month to make room for the convention center expansion.
Why it matters: It was the Spurs' home for their first two decades in San Antonio, spanning the ABA and early NBA years.
Timeline
- April 6, 1968Opens with HemisFair '68[1]
The arena opened on the first day of the 1968 world's fair.
- 1973Spurs' first game[2]
The relocated Spurs drew nearly 6,000 to their first game at the arena.
- May 20, 1993Last Spurs game[1]
A playoff loss to Phoenix ended the Spurs' tenancy before their move to the Alamodome.
- May 30, 1995Final event[1]
A high school graduation was the last event held.
- June 1995
The arena was torn down for convention center expansion.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Expansion of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| San Antonio Spurs | ABA/NBA · 1973–1993 |
|---|---|
| San Antonio Force | Arena Football League · 1992 · 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 | 601 HemisFair Way, San Antonio, TX 78203, San Antonio, Texas[1] |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Basketball, Football |
| Level | ABA, NBA |
| Opened | April 6, 1968[1] |
| Last used for sports | May 31, 1995[1] |
| Demolished | June 1995[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 10,146[1] |
| Final capacity | 16,057[1] |
| Capacity notes | Basketball 10,146 (1968-76) and 16,057 (1991-95), per Wikipedia. |
| Architect | Noonan, Krocker & Dockery[1] |
| Owner / operator | City of San Antonio |
| Closure | The Spurs moved to the Alamodome in 1993, and the city reused the site for a convention center expansion. |
Documented details
- Van Halen played the final ticketed event on March 25, 1995.[1]
Sources
- HemisFair Arena, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, coordinates, demolished, events, opened, teams
- Our History, Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished, 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.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.