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Tulsa Coliseum

Tulsa, Oklahoma · Arena

The Tulsa Coliseum was home of the Tulsa Oilers hockey team from 1929 until it burned on September 20, 1952. It was never rebuilt.

Opened
1929
Closed
1952
Demolished
1952
Capacity
4,500
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History

The Tulsa Coliseum opened on January 1, 1929, with the Tulsa Oilers' first American Hockey Association game. The Oilers played there until 1942 and again in the USHL from 1945 to 1951 under wrestling promoter Sam Avey, who had bought the building in 1944.

A fire, reportedly caused by lightning, destroyed the coliseum on September 20, 1952. The site was cleared for parking.

Why it matters: Tulsa's hockey and wrestling arena for more than two decades.

Timeline

  1. January 1, 1929
    Opens[1]

    The coliseum opened with the Oilers' first game, against the Duluth Hornets.

  2. 1944
    Sold to Sam Avey[1]

    Wrestling promoter Sam Avey bought the building for $185,000.

  3. September 20, 1952
    Destroyed by fire[1]

    A fire reportedly started by lightning destroyed the coliseum.

The site today

Physical statusDemolished[1]
Current useCleared for parking lots
Mapped locationFormer venue site

Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)

Teams & events

Tulsa OilersAHA · 1929–1942
Tulsa OilersAHA · 1945–1951

Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.

Venue facts

LocationFifth Street and Elgin Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Venue typeArena
SportsHockey, Boxing & wrestling
LevelAHA, USHL
OpenedJanuary 1, 1929[1]
Last used for sportsSeptember 20, 1952[1]
DemolishedSeptember 20, 1952[1]
Physical statusDemolished
Final capacity4,500[1]
Capacity notes4,500 for ice hockey, 8,000 with temporary floor seats.
ArchitectSmith and Senter[1]
Construction cost$800,000[1]
ClosureDestroyed by fire.

Documented details

  • Avey filed for bankruptcy after failing to raise the roughly $2.5 million needed to replace the building.[1]

Sources

  1. Tulsa Coliseum, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19
    Supports: architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, 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's infobox names Smith and Senter as architects; its text names Leon B. Senter.

See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.