The Big E Coliseum, formally known as the Eastern States Coliseum, is a multi-purpose arena in West Springfield, Massachusetts, that opened on October 12, 1916, as part of the grounds for the Eastern States Exposition, the regional fair known as the Big E. For decades it stood as the primary indoor sports and entertainment venue for the greater Springfield area, long before any dedicated civic arena existed in the region.
Seating roughly 5,900 fans, the Coliseum built its reputation as a hockey home, hosting the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League across several stints beginning in the 1920s and briefly sheltering the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association in the mid-1970s. Even after hockey moved on, the building has stayed in steady use for circuses, equestrian competitions, and other events tied to the fairgrounds that surround it.
- Carolina Hurricanes played here 1974–1975. See every Hurricanes arena →
Stats at a Glance
- Location: West Springfield, Massachusetts
- Opened: October 12, 1916
- Capacity: About 5,900
- Former Teams: Springfield Indians (AHL), New England Whalers (WHA, 1974-75)
- Known For: Longtime home ice before the Springfield Civic Center opened in 1972
- Current Use: Equestrian shows, circuses, and Eastern States Exposition events
A Hockey Home Before the Civic Center
For much of the 20th century, the Big E Coliseum was the beating heart of hockey in the Springfield area. The Springfield Indians skated there across multiple tenures from the 1920s through the 1970s, and the building briefly hosted the New England Whalers while that WHA franchise searched for a permanent base in the mid-1970s. It remained the region’s main indoor arena until the Springfield Civic Center opened in 1972, finally giving the city a modern alternative.
The ice plant that once supported those games was removed in 1991, closing the book on competitive hockey inside the building. High school and amateur games that had filled open dates on the schedule came to an end at the same time.
Life Inside the Fairgrounds
Because the Coliseum was built as part of the Eastern States Exposition grounds, its calendar has always been tied to the fair that surrounds it each September. Outside of fair season, the arena has hosted circuses, including Shriner circus performances, along with equestrian shows and draft horse championship finals held periodically since the late 1990s.
That versatility is why the building has outlasted most of its hockey-era contemporaries. Rather than competing with newer arenas for sports tenants, it settled into a role as a flexible exhibition hall that still draws crowds well over a century after it first opened.
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USB-charged warmers for cold night games — no disposable packets.
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Team-color face paint in a twist-up stick — no brushes, no mess in the car.
Big E Coliseum FAQs
What is the Big E Coliseum used for today?
It hosts equestrian shows, circuses, and other events connected to the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
Did an NHL or WHA team ever play at the Big E Coliseum?
The New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association used the Coliseum during the 1974-75 season, and the AHL’s Springfield Indians played there across several stints from the 1920s to the 1970s.
When did the Big E Coliseum open?
It opened on October 12, 1916, as the Eastern States Coliseum.
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Photo: John Phelan / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.