History
Built in 1934 on Halsted Street for the International Live Stock Exposition, the Amphitheatre became one of the country's busiest convention halls, staging five presidential nominating conventions including the turbulent 1968 Democratic gathering.
It also served as a sports arena of about 9,000 seats. The NBA's Chicago Packers began there in 1961, the expansion Bulls played their first season there in 1966-67, and the WHA's Chicago Cougars used it from 1972 to 1975. Televised boxing and wrestling were staples for decades.
As the stockyards declined the building lost its purpose, sold for $250,000 in 1983 and struggled to draw events. Demolition began on August 3, 1999.
Why it matters: It hosted the Chicago Bulls' inaugural season and some of the most consequential political conventions of the 20th century.
Timeline
- December 1, 1934
Built to house the International Live Stock Exposition after fire destroyed Dexter Park.
- 1952Republican National Convention[1]
First political convention televised live coast to coast, per Wikipedia.
- 1966Bulls' first season[1]
The expansion Chicago Bulls played their inaugural 1966-67 season here.
- 1968Democratic National Convention[2]
The Amphitheatre hosted the 1968 DNC, one of five presidential nominating conventions held there.
- 1983
The building was sold for $250,000 after falling dormant.
- August 3, 1999
A backhoe began tearing down the building.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Aramark Uniform Services plant[1] |
| Surviving remnants | Part of the former convention hall extension stands, occupied by Lakeshore Beverage |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Chicago American Gears | NBL · 1944–1948 |
|---|---|
| Chicago Packers | NBA · 1961–1962 |
| Chicago Bulls | NBA · 1966–1967 |
| Chicago Cougars | WHA · 1972–1975 |
| Loyola Ramblers basketball | NCAA · 1987–1989 |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Location | 4220 South Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60609 (Union Stock Yards), Chicago, Illinois[1] |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Basketball, Hockey, Boxing & wrestling |
| Level | NBA, WHA, NCAA |
| Opened | December 1, 1934[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | 1999[1] |
| Demolished | August 3, 1999[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 9,000[1] |
| Capacity notes | Seated about 9,000 for sports (Wikipedia). |
| Architect | Abraham Epstein[1] |
| Construction cost | $1.5 million (1934) |
| Owner / operator | Union Stock Yard and Transit Company (until 1983) |
| Closure | Costly to maintain and unable to attract enough events after the decline of the Union Stock Yards. |
Documented details
Sources
- International Amphitheatre, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, teams
- International Amphitheatre, Encyclopedia of Chicago (Chicago Historical Society). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished, events, opened
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 (2)
- Wikipedia's infobox gives an opening of December 1, 1934; its text says November 30, 1934.
- The venue closed in 1983, reopened in 1987, and closed again before 1999; no exact final closing date was found.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.