The Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland was the beating heart of professional sports in the Washington, D.C. region for nearly three decades. Built by sports entrepreneur Abe Pollin at a cost of $18 million and opened on December 2, 1973, the arena—known locally as the Cap Center—stood just east of the nation’s capital and introduced industry-wide innovations that transformed how indoor sports venues were built and operated.
Over its 29-year life the arena went by several names: Capital Centre (1973–1993), USAir Arena (1993–1996), and US Airways Arena (1996–1997) before reverting to its original name for its final years. Home to the NBA’s Washington Bullets (later Wizards), the NHL’s Washington Capitals, and the Georgetown Hoyas men’s basketball program, the Cap Center closed on March 23, 2002, and was demolished that December.
Quick Answer
The Capital Centre—also called the Cap Center, USAir Arena, and US Airways Arena—was an indoor arena at 1 Harry S. Truman Drive in Landover, Maryland, approximately 10 miles east of downtown Washington, D.C. It was the home of the Washington Bullets (NBA) and Washington Capitals (NHL) from 1973 until both teams relocated to the new MCI Center in Washington in 1997. The arena opened December 2, 1973, closed March 23, 2002, and was demolished December 15, 2002.
Abe Pollin’s Vision: Building the Capital Centre
The Capital Centre was the brainchild of Abe Pollin, who owned both the Washington Bullets basketball franchise and the Washington Capitals hockey team. Pollin announced plans in 1972 to construct an $18 million multi-purpose arena in the Maryland suburbs, breaking ground on August 24, 1972. Designed by the Shaver Partnership with structural engineering by Geiger-Berger and Associates, the arena was built by George Hyman Construction Co. and rose in just 15 months.
When it opened on December 2, 1973—with the Capital Bullets defeating the Seattle SuperSonics 98–96 in front of a sellout crowd—the Capital Centre immediately set a new standard for sports venues in North America. Its original basketball capacity was 19,035 (later reduced to 18,756 after 1989 renovations) and 18,130 for ice hockey. Placing both his franchises under one roof in suburban Landover, MD gave Pollin an unprecedented ownership advantage and made the Cap Center the region’s singular sports destination.
The Washington Bullets Arena: Championships and Classics
For the Washington Bullets, the Capital Centre was the stage for the franchise’s greatest moments. The arena hosted three NBA Finals: in 1975, the Bullets were swept by the Golden State Warriors; in 1978, they won Games 2 and 6 at the Capital Centre on their way to defeating the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games—Washington’s first major professional sports title in decades—with power forward Wes Unseld named Finals MVP; and in 1979 they returned to the Finals but fell to Seattle in five games. The arena also hosted the 1980 NBA All-Star Game.
Georgetown University’s Hoyas men’s basketball team made the arena their home on December 5, 1981—defeating San Diego State 71–53 in their debut—and played there through the Patrick Ewing era until their final game on November 25, 1997. The Washington Capitals of the NHL shared the building from 1974 and hosted the 1982 NHL All-Star Game, giving the Cap Center in Landover the rare distinction of hosting All-Star events in two major professional leagues.
Name Changes: From Cap Center to US Airways Arena
The arena operated as the Capital Centre for its first two decades. In 1993, regional airline USAir purchased the naming rights, renaming the venue USAir Arena—a change initially unpopular with Washington-area residents who had grown up calling it the Cap Center or Capital Centre. When USAir rebranded as US Airways in 1996, the arena’s name changed again to US Airways Arena.
In December 1997, the Wizards and Capitals both relocated to the brand-new MCI Center (now Capital One Arena) in downtown Washington, D.C. With the departure of its anchor tenants, US Airways’ naming rights deal expired and the arena reverted to its original name, Capital Centre, for the final five years of its operation. This is why searches for ‘US Airways Arena Landover,’ ‘USAir Arena,’ and ‘Capital Centre Landover MD’ all refer to the exact same building at the same address—1 Harry S. Truman Drive.
Arena Firsts: Innovations That Set the Industry Standard
The Capital Centre was not just a great sports venue—it was a technological pioneer. It was the first indoor arena in the United States to feature a center-hung video replay scoreboard, housing a four-sided projection video system known as the ‘Telscreen.’ This innovation predated the famous Diamond Vision board at Dodger Stadium by seven years and quickly became a standard adopted by arenas across North America.
The Cap Center was also the first indoor arena built with luxury suites (skyboxes), fundamentally changing how sports venues generate revenue for generations to come. It was additionally among the first to deploy a computerized turnstile system. These innovations together made the Capital Centre Landover a blueprint for the modern sports arena.
Concerts and Events: A Premier Entertainment Venue
The Cap Center quickly became one of the premier concert venues on the East Coast. The first concert—held just two days after the arena opened—was the Allman Brothers Band on December 4, 1973; The Who followed on December 6, 1973, debuting their landmark rock opera Quadrophenia at the Capital Centre.
Led Zeppelin sold out every show they ever booked at the arena, beginning with February 10, 1975, and returning for four consecutive sold-out nights in May 1977. Elvis Presley performed two sold-out shows on June 27, 1976, drawing a combined audience of nearly 38,000 fans. Michael Jackson brought his Bad Tour to Landover for four sold-out nights in October 1988. Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, and virtually every major touring act of the era played the Cap Center during its three decades of operation.
Closure, Demolition, and What Replaced the Site
After the Wizards and Capitals left for the MCI Center in December 1997, the Capital Centre continued hosting smaller events. Its final event was held on March 23, 2002, and the structure was demolished on December 15, 2002—ending nearly 29 years of continuous operation.
The property was redeveloped as The Boulevard at the Capital Centre, an open-air shopping center that opened in 2003. The mall struggled commercially and was itself demolished beginning in July 2019. The site is now being transformed into Carillon, a large-scale mixed-use development featuring residential buildings, medical office space, retail, and a public park—all adjacent to the Largo Town Center Metro station on Washington’s Blue Line.
capital-centre-landover-maryland FAQs
What was US Airways Arena / USAir Arena?
US Airways Arena and USAir Arena are two names used for the same building: the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. The arena was renamed USAir Arena in 1993 when the airline USAir purchased naming rights, then renamed US Airways Arena in 1996 when the airline rebranded. After the Washington Wizards and Capitals left for the MCI Center in 1997, the venue reverted to its original name, Capital Centre, until demolition in 2002.
Where exactly was the Capital Centre (Cap Center) located?
The Capital Centre was located at 1 Harry S. Truman Drive, Landover, Maryland 20785, in Prince George’s County—approximately 10 miles east of downtown Washington, D.C. The site is now being redeveloped as the Carillon mixed-use district, adjacent to the Largo Town Center Metro station.
Was the Capital Centre the home of the Washington Bullets?
Yes. The Washington Bullets called the Capital Centre home from 1973 until the end of the 1996–97 NBA season, when they relocated to the new MCI Center in Washington, D.C. The Bullets won their only NBA championship in 1978 while based at the Capital Centre, defeating the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games with Wes Unseld as Finals MVP.
When did the Capital Centre open and close?
The Capital Centre opened on December 2, 1973, with a Washington Bullets victory over the Seattle SuperSonics. It held its final event on March 23, 2002, and was demolished on December 15, 2002—a lifespan of just under 29 years.
What is ‘Cap Center Landover’?
Cap Center is the widely used nickname for the Capital Centre arena in Landover, Maryland—the same venue also known as USAir Arena and US Airways Arena. The Cap Center served as the home of the Washington Bullets (NBA), Washington Capitals (NHL), and Georgetown Hoyas basketball from 1973 to 1997.
What happened to the site after the Capital Centre was demolished?
After demolition in December 2002, the site became The Boulevard at the Capital Centre shopping mall (opened 2003). That mall was demolished beginning in July 2019 and is being replaced by Carillon, a mixed-use development with residential units, medical offices, retail space, and a public park near the Largo Town Center Metro station.
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