Greensboro Coliseum opened on October 29, 1959, in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the centerpiece of the city’s new convention and entertainment complex, with an initial seating capacity of about 7,100. Officially renamed First Horizon Coliseum in October 2024 under a ten-year naming rights agreement, most fans and media still know the venue by the name it carried for more than six decades.
Over the years, the arena has hosted everyone from Elvis Presley, who played two shows there in 1972 and 1977, to Phish, which set the building’s attendance record with 23,642 fans in 2003. But its deepest identity comes from college basketball: no other venue in the country has hosted the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament more often.
- Carolina Hurricanes played here 1997–1999. See every Hurricanes arena →
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): UNC Greensboro Spartans (NCAA), Greensboro Gargoyles (ECHL)
- Location: Greensboro, North Carolina
- Opened: October 29, 1959
- Current Name: First Horizon Coliseum (since October 2024)
- Capacity: 22,000 (expanded from an original 7,100 in a 1993 renovation)
- ACC Tournament Host: Since 1967, more often than any other venue
- Notable Concerts: Elvis Presley (1972, 1977); Phish attendance record of 23,642 (2003)
A Basketball Tradition Like No Other
The Coliseum’s connection to ACC basketball runs deep. Beginning in 1967, Greensboro became the conference tournament’s most frequent host, staging the event more often than any other venue in ACC history.
Wake Forest called the arena home for decades of regular-season play, and the current UNC Greensboro Spartans still play there today, in a building reconfigured over the years to suit both marquee conference tournaments and mid-major college hoops.
Concerts, Legends, and a Changing Name
Beyond basketball, Greensboro Coliseum built a reputation as a major touring stop, including two Elvis Presley concerts in the 1970s and a record-setting Phish show in 2003 that remains the venue’s largest crowd.
A 1993 expansion grew the arena from its original 7,100 seats to its current 22,000-seat capacity, and in October 2024 the venue took on a new identity as First Horizon Coliseum under a ten-year naming rights deal, even as locals continue to call it by its original name.
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Greensboro Coliseum FAQs
Is Greensboro Coliseum still called that today?
Officially, no — in October 2024 the arena was renamed First Horizon Coliseum under a ten-year naming rights deal, though many fans and media still refer to it as Greensboro Coliseum.
What is the seating capacity of Greensboro Coliseum?
The arena seats 22,000 fans for most events, a capacity reached through a 1993 expansion from its original 1959 seating of about 7,100.
Why is Greensboro Coliseum famous for ACC basketball?
It has hosted the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament more often than any other venue in the conference’s history.
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Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.