Editing Cleveland Arena (section)

{{Short description|Demolished arena in Cleveland, Ohio, US}}
{{Infobox venue
|stadium_name        = Cleveland Arena
|logo_image          = 
|image               = 
|location            = 3717 Euclid Avenue<br>[[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]], 44115<br>United States
|coordinates         = {{coord|41|30|14|N|81|39|40|W|type:landmark_region:US-OH|display=inline, title}}
|opened              = {{Start date and age|1937}}
|closed              = {{Start date and age|1974}}
|demolished          = {{Start date and age|1977}}
|construction_cost   = $1.5 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1500000|1937}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
|tenants             = [[Cleveland Barons (1937–73)|Cleveland Barons]] ([[American Hockey League|AHL]]) (1937–1973)<br>Cleveland White Horses ([[National Basketball League (United States)|NBL]]) (1938&ndash;1939)<br>[[Cleveland Rebels]] ([[Basketball Association of America|BAA]]) (1946–1947)<br>[[Cincinnati Royals]] ([[National Basketball Association|NBA]]) (1966&ndash;1970)<br>[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] (NBA) (1970–1974)<br>[[Cleveland Crusaders]] ([[World Hockey Association|WHA]]) (1972–1974)
|seating_capacity    = 11,000 (basketball)<br>9,900 (hockey)
}}

'''Cleveland Arena''' was an arena in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]]. It was built and privately financed by local businessman Albert C. Sutphin during the height of the Great Depression in 1937 as a playing site for Sutphin's [[American Hockey League|AHL]] team, the [[Cleveland Barons (1937–73)|Cleveland Barons]]. The arena was at 3717 [[Euclid Avenue (Cleveland)|Euclid Avenue]], and seated over 10,000 in the stands and over 12,500 for events such as boxing, where floor seating was available.<ref name=Condon>{{cite book|author=George Condon|chapter=Chapter 7, Sutphin's Surprise|title=The Man in the Arena: The Life and Times of A.C. Sutphin|publisher=The A.C. Sutphin Foundation|isbn=0-9649900-1-6|year=1995|pages=51–67}}</ref>

In addition to the Barons, the arena was home to the [[Cleveland Rebels]] of the [[Basketball Association of America]], also owned by Sutphin, for the 1946–47 season.

Cleveland Arena was also a regular concert and boxing venue, and six-day bicycle races were held there between 1939 and 1958, moved there from Public Hall.<ref>{{cite web |title=PublishOhio |url=https://publishohio.com/bicycle-racing-boxing |access-date=May 20, 2020}}</ref> 

On October 22, 1943, Lee Savold scored a first round knockout in 1 minute, 2 seconds over Eddie Blunt of New York, before 5,592 at the Cleveland Arena. Savold weighed 195 pounds, 25 less than his opponent.

On March 21, 1952, it was the site of the [[Moondog Coronation Ball]], considered the first [[rock and roll]] concert, organized by [[Alan Freed]]. The concert was shut down after the first song by fire authorities due to overcrowding.  It was estimated 20,000 people were in the arena or trying to enter it, when the capacity was roughly half that.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 24, 2010 |title=The Moondog Coronation Ball is history's first rock concert |url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-moondog-coronation-ball-is-historys-first-rock-concert |access-date=April 28, 2019 |publisher=[[History Channel]]}}</ref>

In 1968, the arena and the Barons were purchased by [[Nick Mileti]]. In 1970, the expansion [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] of the NBA moved into the arena and played there for their first four seasons, from 1970 to 1974. After the Cavaliers began playing at the arena, it stopped hosting games for the [[Cincinnati Royals]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). The Royals, who also played home games at other Ohio sites, played more than 35 games at the arena between 1966 and 1970.<ref>{{cite web |title=1966–67 Cincinnati Royals Schedule and Results |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1967_games.html |access-date=April 28, 2019 |work=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref>

The [[Cleveland Crusaders]] of the new [[World Hockey Association]] played at the arena from 1972 to 1974.<ref name="case">{{cite encyclopedia|title=Cleveland Arena|url=https://case.edu/ech/articles/c/cleveland-arena|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Cleveland History |publisher=[[Case Western Reserve University]]|access-date=April 28, 2019}}</ref>

The arena also had a medical facility, Arena Clinic. It primarily provided medical care for visiting athletic teams and other entertainment events, but also served as a walk-in clinic for the community. Its sign can be seen in photographs of the arena.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://case.edu/ech/media/61|title=Encyclopedia of Cleveland History}}</ref>

While the arena was a showpiece when it opened, it did not age well. By the 1970s, it had become decrepit. It also lacked adequate parking. It closed in 1974, with teams moving to the [[Richfield Coliseum]]. The arena was demolished in 1977;<ref name="Condon" />  the headquarters of the Cleveland Chapter of the [[American Red Cross]] now occupies the site.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2015/04/lost_cleveland_rock_n_roll_lan.html|title=Lost Cleveland: Rock 'n' roll landmarks that made music history|website=Cleveland.com|date=April 15, 2015|access-date=April 28, 2019}}</ref>

The arena was the last major sporting facility to open within Cleveland's borders prior to 1994, when Jacobs Field, now [[Progressive Field]], opened for [[Major League Baseball]]'s (MLB) [[Cleveland Guardians|Cleveland Indians]]. Later that year, the Cavaliers moved back to Cleveland when they opened the adjacent Gund Arena, now [[Rocket Arena]].