Houses of Hockey: Pechanga Arena
August 6, 2019
Arenas are the hallowed and precious grounds that are favorite hockey teams play their games, win championships, and create memories for fans young and old. On 'Houses of Hockey' we explore and talk about the histories of these venues that so many of us have known as our hockey home.
Pechanga Arena
Built: 1966
Capacity: 14,500 (12,920 Hockey)
Hockey Tenants: San Diego Gulls; WHL 1966-1974
San Diego Mariners; WHA 1974-1977
San Diego Mariners; PHL 1977-1978
San Diego Hawks; PHL 1978-1979
San Diego Gulls; IHL 1990-1995
San Diego Gulls; WCHL, ECHL 1995-2006
San Diego Gulls; AHL 2015-Present
Former Names: San Diego International Sports Center (1966-1970)
San Diego Sports Arena (1970-2005; 2007-2010)
iPayOne Center (2005-2007)
Valley View Casino Center (2010-2018)
Building Status: Standing; Still in Use
Today we head to the west coast as we take a look at one of the oldest still-in-use hockey arenas in California, Pechanga Arena located in San Diego. Pechanga Arena is currently home to the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League.
Breaking ground in November 1965 and being completed just one year later, the original name of the arena was the San Diego International Sports Center. The arena's first tenants were the very first San Diego Gulls franchise, who were playing at the time in the Western Hockey League. In 1970, the arena was renamed to the San Diego Sports Arena, a name it kept for the rest of the twentieth century and up until 2005.
From 1966 to 1979, the arena would see four different hockey teams between three different leagues, including the major professional World Hockey Association, but would never see their home tenant hoist a championship cup. After the Hawks folded in 1979, the arena would be without hockey for another 11 seasons.
Then in 1990, the San Diego Gulls were reborn and entered the International Hockey League as an expansion team, bringing pro hockey back to the arena and the city. Pro hockey would remain in the arena up until 2006, as two different Gulls franchises called the arena home between three different leagues. It would finally see a championship won on home ice in 2001, as the Gulls won their fourth WCHL Taylor Cup. The arena would see a second Taylor Cup victory in 2003, which is currently the most recent Cup victory. After the Gulls, as well as the other WCHL teams, merged with the ECHL in 2003, the Gulls would last three more seasons before folding in 2006.
Hockey would once again be absent from the arena for the better part of the next decade, up until 2015 when the American Hockey League began going west and the then-named Valley View Casino Center became a location for a relocated team. This would revive the Gulls name and the current San Diego Gulls have been packing the now named Pechanga Arena ever since, which is honestly a rarity given the age and history of hockey in San Diego.
Historically, Pechanga Arena has seen many different teams and leagues skate onto its ice, with the likes of Willie O'Ree, Clint Malarchuk, and Ray Whitney playing on its surface. In the present day, however, Pechanga Arena has been the topic of either needing massive renovations or a new arena to take its place. While the AHL Gulls, the NLL Seals, and the MASL Sockers have shown that it can still host sports and succeed at it, the arena lags behind on many amenities and facilities. These issues, despite how successful its tenants are, will bring a slight aura of uncertainty for the future.
For now, though, the arena will stand strong and will continue to serve the San Diego area for the foreseeable future.
-Marc of The Robinson Report
Make sure to follow The Robinson Report on Twitter and Facebook for updates on future articles, news regarding minor professional hockey, and more!
Arenas are the hallowed and precious grounds that are favorite hockey teams play their games, win championships, and create memories for fans young and old. On 'Houses of Hockey' we explore and talk about the histories of these venues that so many of us have known as our hockey home.
Pechanga Arena
Built: 1966
Capacity: 14,500 (12,920 Hockey)
Hockey Tenants: San Diego Gulls; WHL 1966-1974
San Diego Mariners; WHA 1974-1977
San Diego Mariners; PHL 1977-1978
San Diego Hawks; PHL 1978-1979
San Diego Gulls; IHL 1990-1995
San Diego Gulls; WCHL, ECHL 1995-2006
San Diego Gulls; AHL 2015-Present
Former Names: San Diego International Sports Center (1966-1970)
San Diego Sports Arena (1970-2005; 2007-2010)
iPayOne Center (2005-2007)
Valley View Casino Center (2010-2018)
Building Status: Standing; Still in Use
Today we head to the west coast as we take a look at one of the oldest still-in-use hockey arenas in California, Pechanga Arena located in San Diego. Pechanga Arena is currently home to the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League.
Breaking ground in November 1965 and being completed just one year later, the original name of the arena was the San Diego International Sports Center. The arena's first tenants were the very first San Diego Gulls franchise, who were playing at the time in the Western Hockey League. In 1970, the arena was renamed to the San Diego Sports Arena, a name it kept for the rest of the twentieth century and up until 2005.
From 1966 to 1979, the arena would see four different hockey teams between three different leagues, including the major professional World Hockey Association, but would never see their home tenant hoist a championship cup. After the Hawks folded in 1979, the arena would be without hockey for another 11 seasons.
Then in 1990, the San Diego Gulls were reborn and entered the International Hockey League as an expansion team, bringing pro hockey back to the arena and the city. Pro hockey would remain in the arena up until 2006, as two different Gulls franchises called the arena home between three different leagues. It would finally see a championship won on home ice in 2001, as the Gulls won their fourth WCHL Taylor Cup. The arena would see a second Taylor Cup victory in 2003, which is currently the most recent Cup victory. After the Gulls, as well as the other WCHL teams, merged with the ECHL in 2003, the Gulls would last three more seasons before folding in 2006.
Hockey would once again be absent from the arena for the better part of the next decade, up until 2015 when the American Hockey League began going west and the then-named Valley View Casino Center became a location for a relocated team. This would revive the Gulls name and the current San Diego Gulls have been packing the now named Pechanga Arena ever since, which is honestly a rarity given the age and history of hockey in San Diego.
Historically, Pechanga Arena has seen many different teams and leagues skate onto its ice, with the likes of Willie O'Ree, Clint Malarchuk, and Ray Whitney playing on its surface. In the present day, however, Pechanga Arena has been the topic of either needing massive renovations or a new arena to take its place. While the AHL Gulls, the NLL Seals, and the MASL Sockers have shown that it can still host sports and succeed at it, the arena lags behind on many amenities and facilities. These issues, despite how successful its tenants are, will bring a slight aura of uncertainty for the future.
For now, though, the arena will stand strong and will continue to serve the San Diego area for the foreseeable future.
-Marc of The Robinson Report
Make sure to follow The Robinson Report on Twitter and Facebook for updates on future articles, news regarding minor professional hockey, and more!
Comments
Post a Comment