Editing Dow Event Center

{{Short description|Ice Hockey and Convention venue in Saginaw, Michigan}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = The Dow Event Center
| image = Dow Event Center - Interior.JPG
| pushpin_map = Michigan#USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Michigan##Location within the United States
| pushpin_relief = 1
| pushpin_label = Dow Event Center
| nickname = "The Dow"
| location = 303 Johnson Street<br />[[Saginaw, Michigan]] 48607-1213
| broke_ground = 1970
| built = 
| opened = 1972
| renovated = 2003
| closed = 
| demolished = 
| owner = [[Saginaw County, Michigan|Saginaw County]]
| operator = [[SMG (property management)|SMG]]
| construction_cost = $17 million (renovation)<br />(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|17000000|2003}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = Wigen, Tincknell, Meyer & Associates, Inc.<ref>http://www.kibbe.com/pdf/Dow_Event_Center-Saginaw_County_Event_Center-2003.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>
| general_contractor = 
| tenants = [[Saginaw Gears (IHL)|Saginaw Gears]] ([[International Hockey League (1945–2001)|IHL]]) (1972&ndash;1983)<br />Mid-Michigan Great Lakers ([[Global Basketball Association|GBA]]) (1991&ndash;1992)<br />[[Saginaw Gears (UHL)|Saginaw Wheels/Lumber Kings/Gears]] ([[United Hockey League|CoHL/UHL]]) (1994&ndash;1999)<br />[[Saginaw Spirit]] ([[Ontario Hockey League|OHL]]) (2002&ndash;present)<br />[[Saginaw Sting]] ([[Continental Indoor Football League|CIFL]]/[[Indoor Football League|IFL]]/[[Ultimate Indoor Football League|UIFL]]/[[American Indoor Football|AIF]]) (2008&ndash;2009, 2011&ndash;2015)
| former names = The Saginaw County Event Center<br />Saginaw Civic Center
| seating_capacity = [[Concerts]]: 7,647<br />[[Basketball]]: 6,217<br />[[Ice Hockey|Hockey]] 5,527<br />[[indoor American football|Indoor Football]] 5,201
}}
'''Dow Event Center''' (formerly known as '''Saginaw County Event Center''' and '''Saginaw Civic Center''') is an [[indoor arena]] located in [[Saginaw, Michigan]]. The center consists of several parts: The Atrium, The Garden Room, The Theater, The Red Room, Jolt Event Park, and The Arena. It currently houses the [[Ontario Hockey League]]'s [[Saginaw Spirit]]. The facility has housed a number of hockey teams in the past, such as the [[Saginaw Lumber Kings]] and both the [[Saginaw Gears (IHL)|IHL]] and [[Saginaw Gears (UHL)|UHL]] incarnations of the Saginaw Gears.
[[File:The Dow Event Center at night.jpg|thumbnail|Exterior]]
The Arena At The Dow Event Center has a capacity of 7,600 people for [[concert]]s (without the ice), and 5,500 for hockey games. The Theater at the Dow Event Center has a capacity of 2,276 people.

Originally built in 1972 as part of an urban development program, the center is the only structure left. Most of the other buildings were razed in the 1980s due to many problems, including health risks, [[foreclosure]] and [[bankruptcy]].

For a time in the 1990s, the facility nearly faced foreclosure and bankruptcy due to lack of funds provided by the city.  The facility underwent a series of renovations in early 2000s, mainly in hopes for a better facility to host their newly acquired hockey team.  The naming rights of the facility were transferred in September 2004 to [[The Dow Chemical Company]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dow.com/dow_news/manufacturing/2004/20040915a.htm |title=Dow Manufacturing News: Dow Awarded Naming Rights Sponsorship for Saginaw County Event Center |access-date=2005-04-14 |archive-date=2005-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050206222714/http://www.dow.com/dow_news/manufacturing/2004/20040915a.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> headquartered in nearby [[Midland, Michigan|Midland]].  The center was used two times during the summer of 2004 as a center for [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[political]] rallies in support for the re-election of [[United States|U.S.]] [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]].

Voters transferred the ownership from the City of Saginaw to Saginaw County on May 8, 2001. The city then closed the facility on June 30, 2001, and the county reopened it on July 1. The county then appointed [[SMG (property management)|SMG Worldwide]] to manage the facility, and started updating and renovating the building. The total cost of the renovations was tagged at $17 million, and they were completed in 2003.

The center hosts many events, concerts, political rallies, and graduations.  Trade shows also take place there; the complex has {{convert|25000|sqft|m2}} of space at Wendler Arena.

It hosted the third [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWF]] [[In Your House 3|In Your House]] pay-per-view on [[In Your House 3|September 24, 1995]].

[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] District Conventions are held annually at the Dow Event Center. Starting in mid-June, and ending in early July, three-day conventions held on every weekend in that time will occur. The Jehovah's Witnesses first started using the building in 2005, after rumors of demolition for the [[Pontiac Silverdome]] raised concern over where meetings would be held, as the Silverdome was the previous venue.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jw-media.org/region/americas/usa/english/releases/events/usa_e080409.htm |title=Jehovah's Witnesses: April 6, 2006 News Release<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=June 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624005616/http://www.jw-media.org/region/americas/usa/english/releases/events/usa_e080409.htm |archive-date=June 24, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.doweventcenter.com The Dow Event Center site]
* [http://www.dow.com/dow_news/manufacturing/2004/20040915a.htm Dow announcement to purchase naming rights]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310234343/http://www.doweventcenter.com/naming_rights.shtml Dow Event Center press release on naming rights]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060304083354/http://www.doweventcenter.com/facility_history.shtml Dow Event Center History]
* [http://www.smgworld.com SMG Worldwide Management Group]

{{Coord|43|26|09.50|N|83|56|12.80|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=title}}
{{OHL Arenas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1972 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Saginaw County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Convention centers in Michigan]]
[[Category:Dow Chemical Company|Event Center]]
[[Category:Ice hockey venues in Michigan]]
[[Category:Ontario Hockey League arenas]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1972]]
[[Category:Concert halls in Michigan]]
[[Category:Indoor arenas in Michigan]]