History
Opened around 1931 next to the University of Pennsylvania, Convention Hall was the city's largest meeting space and hosted multiple national political conventions, including both parties' 1948 gatherings.
It also served as a basketball arena seating about 9,600. The Warriors moved their home games there in 1952 and stayed until leaving for California after the 1961-62 season, and the 76ers played there from 1963 until the Spectrum opened in 1967. The WHA Blazers and La Salle basketball were later tenants.
After the Pennsylvania Convention Center opened in 1993 the hall lost its purpose, closing in 1996. It was demolished in 2005, and Penn's Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine opened on the site in 2008.
Why it matters: It hosted Wilt Chamberlain's Warriors and the early 76ers as well as several national political conventions.
Timeline
- 1931
The municipal hall opened in West Philadelphia.
- 1948Both national conventions[1]
Democrats and Republicans both held their 1948 conventions here.
- 1960NBA All-Star Game[1]
The hall hosted the 1960 All-Star Game.
- September 2, 1964The Beatles[1]
The Beatles performed.
- 1967
The 76ers moved to the Spectrum.
- 1996
The last event was the 1996 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament.
- 2005Demolished[1]
Convention Hall was torn down.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System (opened 2008)[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Philadelphia Warriors | BAA/NBA · 1952–1962 |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | NBA · 1963–1967 |
| Philadelphia Blazers | WHA · 1972–1973 |
| Temple Owls | NCAA · 1938–1955 · tenant |
| La Salle Explorers | NCAA · 1989–1996 · 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 | Philadelphia Civic Center; Convention Hall |
|---|---|
| Location | 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, University City, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1] |
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Basketball, Hockey |
| Level | NBA, WHA, NCAA |
| Opened | 1931[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | 1996[1,2] |
| Demolished | 2005[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Final capacity | 9,600[1] |
| Capacity notes | 9,600 for basketball; about 12,000 for concerts; 15,000 for conventions (Wikipedia). |
| Architect | Philip H. Johnson[1] |
| Construction cost | $5.3 million |
| Closure | Convention business moved to the new Pennsylvania Convention Center and the building was left without a regular tenant. |
Documented details
- The Republican and Democratic parties both held their 1948 national conventions in the hall.[1]
Connected venues
Sources
- Philadelphia Convention Hall and Civic Center, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, teams
- Philadelphia's sleeping giant, The Daily Pennsylvanian. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, 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 (3)
- Wikipedia's infobox gives 1931 for the opening while its text says the arena was built in 1930; The Daily Pennsylvanian says built in 1929 and opened two years later.
- The Daily Pennsylvanian dates the official closing to 1995 coverage; Wikipedia says the last event was the 1996 Atlantic 10 tournament.
- The Daily Pennsylvanian names the 1940 Democratic convention; Wikipedia lists the 1940 Republican convention.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.