Neal S. Blaisdell Center
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The Neal S. Blaisdell Center in downtown Honolulu near Waikīkī is the premier community center for the City & County of Honolulu. Constructed in 1964 on the historic Ward Estate and originally called the Hawaiʻi International Center, the center was renamed after the late Mayor of Honolulu Neal S. Blaisdell. The multi-purpose complex is composed of an internationally renowned arena, concert hall, conference rooms, galleria and exhibition hall. It was remodeled and expanded in 1994. It is also the home of the Hawaii Basketball League Honolulu Bandits.
[edit] Events
The Neal S. Blaisdell Arena is a circular performance facility used for concerts and major sporting events. Elvis Presley sold out concerts at the arena in the 1960s and 1970s. Recent concerts featured Elton John, Céline Dion, Ricky Martin, *NSYNC, LeAnn Rimes and Jimmy Buffett. Other events at the arena include the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Disney on Ice, Sesame Street, college basketball and volleyball, and international gymnastics. It served as the home court for University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa basketball until the school built an on-campus arena in 1994. Many graduation and commencement ceremonies are held by schools in the arena in late May and June.
The Neil S. Blaisdell Concert Hall is the home of the Honolulu Symphony and the Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre. Broadway productions such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Rent, Miss Saigon, Chicago, Cats and other national touring shows have performed at the concert hall.
Many religious ceremonies have been performed in the Neil S. Blaisdell Center. The largest of which were the enthronement of Joseph Anthony Ferrario as the third Bishop of Honolulu and the ordination and installation of Clarence Richard Silva as the fifth Bishop of Honolulu, overseeing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu.
