The BMO Center (formerly known as BMO Harris Bank Center and Rockford MetroCentre) is a multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...

located in downtown

Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, Winnebago and Ogle County, Illinois, Ogle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in far northern Illinois on the banks of the Rock River (Mississippi River tributary), Rock River, Rockfor ...

, United States. It is currently home to the AHL's

Rockford IceHogs The Rockford IceHogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Rockford, Illinois. They are members of the American Hockey League (AHL), having begun play in the League starting in the 2007–08 season. The team plays their home games at the ...

hockey team. The arena formerly served as the home of several defunct minor league sports teams, including the

Rockford Lightning The Rockford Lightning was a basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). They were based in Rockford, Illinois. History The Lightning were the oldest team in the CBA, originally existing as the Lancaster Red R ...

basketball team, the

Rock River Raptors The Rock River Raptors were a professional indoor football team based in Rockford, Illinois. The team was most recently a member of the Continental Indoor Football League. The franchise was established in 2000 as the Tennessee Valley Vipers, a ...

indoor football team, the

Rockford Rampage The Rockford Rampage was an American indoor soccer team based in Rockford, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2005 as the Rockford Thunder, the team originally played in the American Indoor Soccer League until 2008 then moved to the Major Indoor ...

indoor soccer Indoor soccer or arena soccer is a form of five-a-side football, five-a-side or six-a-side version of minifootball. It is derived from association football and adapted to be played in walled hardcourt indoor arenas. It differs from the FIFA, FIFA ...

team and the

Chicago Rush The Chicago Rush were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. The team was founded in 2001 and played in the Arena Football League's Central Division. The Rush qualified for the playoffs in 11 of 12 AFL seasons, during w ...

arena football Arena football is a variety of gridiron football designed to be played indoors. The game is played on a smaller field than American or Canadian football, designed to fit in the same surface area as a standard North American ice hockey rink, an ...

team. Due to its outdoor appearance, it is often referred to as the "Big Orange Box".

History

The opening night gala in 1981 was headlined by Bob Hope and Lynda Carter.

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

made an appearance on their 1981 North American Tour on October 1, 1981. The concert was added to the tour in response to a radio station petition drive. The actual petitions were cut up and used to hold a lottery for the right to buy tickets. Each person drawn could purchase two of the $15 tickets. The facility hosted the 1984 and 1986

Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region (North America), Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Its members co ...

men's basketball tournaments as well as numerous IHSA basketball sectional and super-sectional tournaments. In addition to athletic events, it hosts concerts, conventions, and local high school graduations. Starting in 1999, the venue hosted the Rockford IceHogs, a minor league hockey team. Presently, it also hosts several smaller events, from monster truck rallies, to comedy shows and concerts.

Arena information

The BMO Center hosts major concerts, sport events, and other large-scale events. The complex houses press boxes, a lounge, and suites to watch sport events in style, and a multi-purpose arena.

Naming rights

On August 11, 2011, it was announced that the Rockford IceHogs had reached a long term agreement with

BMO Harris Bank BMO Bank, N.A. (colloquially BMO; ) is a U.S. national bank headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It is a subsidiary of the Canadian multinational investment bank and financial services company Bank of Montreal, which owns it through the holding ...

for the venue's naming rights, effectively rebranding as the BMO Harris Bank Center. On October 20, 2022, the arena was again rebranded as the BMO Center.

Renovations

In 2006, the city of Rockford, along with Winnebago County, announced plans to issue $23 million in bonds to fund a massive renovation of the Arena. Key to the plan was an agreement with the

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...

to put an

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

(AHL) team in Rockford for the next 10 years. This team acts as the Blackhawks' farm team. The MetroCentre authority purchased an AHL franchise, and bought the rights to name it the "IceHogs". During the summer of 2013, the seating structure in the building's lower level was replaced, making way for a new, updated seating system. New seats were added and the

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

for hockey increased to 5,895, up from 5,767. Along with new seats, the visitors' locker room was also expanded. New lights were added and the concourse was renovated. Renovations were completed due to the hard work and effort of Patrick Conery. Before renovations in 2006, the arena's seating capacity was 8,700 for basketball. In April of 2021, the IceHogs, Blackhawks, the City of Rockford, the Rockford Area Venues and Entertainment Authority (RAVE) and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced a $23 million renovation of the BMO Center, which includes a reimagined Main Entryway and Box Office, remodeled Jack Daniels Bar, and new grab & go store.

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Bank of Montreal College basketball venues in Illinois Ice hockey venues in Illinois Indoor soccer venues in Illinois Rockford IceHogs Rockford Lightning Sports venues in Rockford, Illinois Sports venues completed in 1981 1981 establishments in Illinois