Welcome to the new Wachovia Center!
Eight years ago, Ed Snider had a dream to build a new state-of-the-art facility for the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers, a place for everyone. The dream has become a reality, as today we welcome you to the new Wachovia Center - Where Everyone Plays. After many years of planning, we invite you to enjoy your total experience at this magnificent arena.
With sporting events ranging from the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers, to the 1998 U.S. Figure Skating Nationals and the 2000 NCAA Women's Final Four, combined with family shows, concerts, and competitions, the Wachovia Complex (the new Center and Spectrum) has something for everyone. The Wachovia Complex will also host the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Phantoms, Wings lacrosse, KiXX indoor soccer, Bulldogs roller hockey, LaSalle and Villanova college basketball, the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Tournament, as well as Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey, Walt Disney's World on Ice, ice skating shows and competitions, Seasame Street Live, the truck pull, and many great concerts.
In keeping with the great tradition of the Spectrum, which over the past 30 years, has become one of the busiest and most successful arenas in the United States, the Wachovia Complex will host more than 330 events per year, attracting almost 3,000,000 people.
The Wachovia Center features five levels of seating, more than 100 luxury boxes, club box seating and a fine dining club. The Center also features food action stations, a microbrewery, as well as original artwork. There area a number of exciting exhibits with interactive kiosks for the Flyers Experience and the 76ers Zone. The Center has two public concourses, each with their own concession stands and restrooms, and escalators to help you get to your seat quickly and with ease.
Again, on behalf of everyone at the Wachovia Complex, we look forward to providing the Delaware Valley with the finest in sports and entertainment in the most comfortable environment possible. Come back and visit us again, soon!
Sincerely,
Peter A. Luukko
President/CEO
Wachovia Complex
Source: Buck Consultants/Comcast/Spectacor
as provided by and special thanks to Ed Kump
Brett Hull, born in Canada but playing for the United States, had two goals and two assists as the United States beat Canada, 5-3, Saturday August 31, 1996 in a World Cup game, the first official event in Wachovia Center .
Hull set up the two second period goals that put the United States ahead, then scored the U.S. team's fourth and fifth goals in the third period as a sellout crowd of an estimated 19,500 roared.
U.S. goalie Mike Richter made 23 saves, and the United States' other goals came from John LeClair, Doug Weight and Scott Young. Wayne Gretzky scored two goals for Canada and Mark Messier added another.
The first official event in the $210 million building - a thank-you concert featuring Ray Charles was held for construction workers and building officials two weeks ago - went off without a hitch.
Problems with the ice surface were reported Thursday, but players from both teams said the ice was much improved Friday. The arena is the new home of the NHL's Flyers and the NBA's 76ers. September 1, 1996.
December 1, 1997
By Lauren Jaeger, Amusement Business
CoreStates Complex, Philadelphia, home of the NHL's Flyers and NBA's 76ers, will be renamed in a few months as a result of a bank takeover last week.
First Union Corp. agreed to acquire CoreStates Financial Corp. for $16.3 billion. When the closing takes place in April, 1998, the bank will rename the Philadelphia-based center.
CoreStates, in the third year of a 29-year, $40 million, naming rights agreement, had paid $6 million for the privilege.
"Our agreement has successor rights," said CoreStates director Peter Luukko. His staff, he said, is counting all of the places where CoreStates is printed, from signage on the basketball court and under the ice down to the napkins and the press folders. He estimates the cost of reprinting the name alone will amount to at least $1 million.
First Union will replace the CoreStates in CoreStates Center and CoreStates Spectrum and the mailing address of 1 CoreStates Complex. The center is owned by Comcast Spectacor.
First Union spokeswoman Mary Eshet would only confirm, "First Union will continue the long-term contract with the complex."
Holt's Cigar Club
Comcast-Spectacor, owner and operator of the Wachovia Center , recently added a 2,800 square-foot, members-only cigar bar to the club level of the new arena. The expansion also includes an additional 2,800 square feet to the main level of the Red Bell Brewery & Pub. "When we opened the Wachovia Center we wanted to offer our patrons the total sports experience, as well as being the trend leader," says Comcast-Spectacor's Peter Luukko, President of the Wachovia Complex. "We were the first arena with our own microbrewery and now we are the first with our own cigar bar." |
Directions
From the Walt Whitman Bridge
Follow the signs for Broad Street. At the end of the Broad Street exit, you will make a left hand turn. Follow the signs to the Sports Complex.
From New York and New Jersey
via the New Jersey Turnpike
Take New Jersey Turnpike South. Look for signs for 295 South and the Walt Whitman Bridge. Follow the signs which will lead you to the bridge. From this point, follow signs for Broad Street. At the end of the Broad Street exit, you will make a left hand turn. The Wachovia Complex will be on your left.
From the Pennsylvania Turnpike
(For Downingtown and points further West) Follow the Turnpike 76 East to Exit 24 (Valley Forge). Follow signs for 76 East. Continue on 76 East until you see signs for Walt Whitman Bridge/Sports Complex. Follow until Exit 45, Broad Street. At the end of the exit ramp, make a right at the light. The Wachovia Complex will be on your left.
From the Schuylkill Expressway
Traveling East on the Schuylkill Expressway, you will see signs for South Jersey, Walt Whitman Bridge/Sports Complex. continue on 76 East until you see signs for Exit 45, Broad Street/Sports Complex. Take this exit and follow down the ramp to the light. Make a right at the light onto Broad Street. The Wachovia Complex will be on your left.
From Route 476/Blue Route
Follow I-476 South to the end. Road splits, follow signs for I-95 North, Philadelphia. Take I-95 North past Philadelphia Airport to Broad Street exit. After exit ramp, bear right for parking. The Wachovia Complex is on your right.
From Interstate 95, Delaware & Maryland
Follow I-95 to Broad Street Exit. After exit ramp, bear right for parking. You will see Wachovia Complex on your right.
August 12, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
Premium seat renewals at the Wachovia Center has been successful, according to Peter
Luukko, president of Comcast-Spectacor, which owns the center. More than 90% of the initial buyers have decided to renew. All suite holders have renewed and only a few club boxes are available. The club boxes cost $10,500 annually on three- to 10-year leases.
THE ULTIMATE SPORTS ROAD TRIP
By: Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell
| Wachovia Center Ranking by USRT |
| Architecture |  | 7 |
| Concessions | | 8 |
| Scoreboard | | 7 |
| Ushers | | 5 |
| Fan Support | | 8 |
| Location | | 4 |
| Banners/History | | 8 |
| Entertainment | | 5 |
| Concourses/Fan Comfort | | 8 |
| Bonus: Comcast Studio | | 2 |
| Bonus: Interactive Kiosks | | 3 |
| Bonus: USRT Red Carpet Treatment | | 4 |
| Total Score |  | 69 |
May 13, 2000 & March 16, 2002 - Opened in 1996, the First Union Center is home to the NHL Flyers and NBA 76ers, and also plays as host to a number of minor league teams and to the Atlantic 10 basketball tournament. This outstanding facility replaced the Spectrum, which stands next door and is still used as the home venue to the Flyers AHL affiliate, the Phantoms. Together, these two venues compliment each other in presenting a wide range of sports and entertainment events.
Getting to the Venue
The arena is located at the south end of the city of Philadelphia, and getting here is pretty
easy. Take either I-76 or I-95 south of the city and signs will direct you to the "Sports
Complex". The main thoroughfare in town ... Broad Street, runs right by the facility. Traveling by subway is also an option, with the Pattison station dropping you off a short
walk from the arena door.
Outside the Venue
The First Union Center is part of the city's "Sports Complex" which also includes the
Spectrum and Veterans Stadium. These facilities all share parking, thus the building is
surrounded by large surface lots. The landscape around the center is changing fast, as
new stadiums for both the Eagles and the Phillies are under construction nearby, and
eventually Veterans Stadium will be demolished for parking. Interestingly, this is the only
city which houses all of its sports franchises in one central location.
Courtesy Kimberly Blessing (Copyright 1994-2008) whom we thank very much.
No matter where you are in the parking lots, you can catch a view of downtown
Philadelphia's impressive skyline, off in the distance. Also we recommend that you take a
walk around the Spectrum and view the scultpures that symbolize the essence of sport in
Philadelphia --- a statue of Kate Smith and her famed rendition of "God Bless America"; a memento to Dr. J, and our favorite, "Thunder in the Heart", depicting character Rocky
Balboa from the "Rocky" movies. This statue was shown in the movie on the steps of the
Philadelphia Museum of Art. - who can forget that memorable scene of Rocky running up
those stairs, fists pumped high in the air!?
This arena is beautiful! The main entrance and drop off area is on the west side. A separate
ticketing lobby is adjacent to the main entrance, and as you walk through the doorways,
right off to the side is an atrium shaped team store displaying merchandise in the many
windows.
The Concourses
Stepping into the huge atrium on the Broad Street side is a feast to the eyes! Here you will
find a stage offering pre game entertainment, an impressive video wall with a jumobtron
type video screen, long escalators to take you to the top of the building, and the
centerpiece hanging from the ceiling is a beautiful glass paneled sculpture, cascading
down and depicting silhouetted figures of athletes and entertainers.
Explore the concourses here and you will find all sorts of cool stuff - Along all the corridors
one can find historical exhibits and memorabilia of the teams. Interactive kiosks allow you
to look up players, games and great moments in Flyers and 76ers history. Also tastefully
displayed are showcases and memorabilia of the city's NPSL team, the Kixx and the NLL
team, the Wings. One of the coolest and most unique displays we saw were exhibits of
Flyers hat tricks. In essence, the hats tossed onto the ice were collected, placed into a
display box along with a photo of the Flyers player who performed the feat and the date it
happened. Nice! One can also find a portrait gallery of current Flyers and 76ers players,
complete with player stats and bios, and all framed by replica championship banners of the
two teams. Throughout the concourses one can find air hockey tables and near the
escalators in the upper concourse is a skeet basketball area.
Concessions
Food areas are grouped into action stations. Each of these areas has a different theme,
and the food selection is superb. Of course no visit to this city is complete unless you try a
Philly Cheese Steak, and the ones we had here at the arena were outstanding! Here at the
arena is a facility called the "Red Bell Brewery and Pub", with its own microbrewery and beer produced onsite, and carving station offering fresh carved sandwiches. Adjacent to
the pub is Holt's Cigar Store, selling fine cigars and accessories.
The Seating Bowl
All seats in the bowl are colored wine red. The arena is set up in two levels, with the upper
part of the lower level designated as club seating, with access to a private concourse.
Suites can be found on three different levels - some on the club level, a suite level, and
skybox suites at the top of the building. An eight sided jumbotron board and single color
dot matrix board hangs in the center, and of course, a state of the art digital LED board was
added last season and wraps around the upper balcony. Atop the lower level are backlit ad
panels and out of town scoreboards.
Club Seating and Premium Seating
This arena offers a separate club and suite level, and a fine dining establishment called the
Victors Club with a view of the playing surface at the top of the lower level. Luxury suites
are served by their own private elevator, concierge service access to premium dining
areas such as Victors Club and the Red Bell Back Room, a membership only club adjacent
to the brewery.
Banners/Retired Numbers
Both franchises have a great history - the Flyers Stanley Cups in the 70s, the Sixers NBA
titles in 1966 and 1983, and the rafters here are loaded with banners celebrating the
accomplishments of these two franchises. You know the names - Bernie Parent, Bobby
Clarke, Wilt Chamerlain, Dr. J. and Charles Barkley amidst a whole host of others. Even
Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel have their banners commemorating their incredible run of
sellouts here.
Hat Tricks, Extra Points, Penalties
Hat Trick - to Comcast Sports, who have built a full fledged studio right in the concourse.
Fans can watch the execution of a sports broadcast from behind glass panels. Awesome
concept!
Extra Point - the number of games available, the air hockey and basketball shoot is the
most extensive of any place we have seen - games can be found anywhere in the
concourses.
Hat Trick - to the magnificent atrium lobby complete with stage! How nice to have live music
serenading patrons as they walk in.
Summary
An awesome venue! We can only come up with two deduction points - the upper
concourses are somewhat congested (suggestion - move the air hockey tables to open up
more space). Second, we always prefer these venues to be downtown. Otherwise this
venue offers superior design, ambience, decor and we have seen elements of this venue
incorporated into newer building elsewhere. While a Sixers game is a fun experience here,
it is the Flyers who are top dog in this building, combining their on the ice success with a
terrific marketing program which combines their AHL affiliate in the building next door into
one stop shopping for the hockey fan. It is for this reason that we bestow the Flyers our 5
star rating as one of the top NHL experiences.
