The Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum has anchored the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis since it opened in August 1939, replacing an earlier livestock pavilion on the same site. Over more than eight decades the arena has carried several names, including Pepsi Coliseum and Indiana Farmers Coliseum, and was renamed Corteva Coliseum in November 2024.
Beyond the fairgrounds’ agricultural roots, the building became one of the city’s premier indoor venues for professional sports, concerts, and ice shows, hosting everything from championship basketball to The Beatles’ only Indiana performance in 1964.
- Indiana Pacers played here 1967–1974. See every Pacers arena →
Stats at a Glance
- Teams: Indiana Pacers (ABA, 1967–1974); Indy Fuel (ECHL, 2014–2024)
- Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
- Opened: August 1939
- Capacity: About 6,800 (basketball) / 6,200 (hockey)
- Notable fact: Site of The Beatles’ only Indiana concert, 1964
A Home for Champions
The Coliseum served as home court for the Indiana Pacers during their American Basketball Association years, backing three ABA championships in 1970, 1972, and 1973 before the team moved on to the NBA. On the ice, the Indianapolis Capitals won Calder Cup titles in 1942 and 1950, and decades later the ECHL’s Indy Fuel called the arena home from 2014 until 2024.
A $53 million renovation completed in the early 2010s modernized the seating, concourses, and amenities while preserving the building’s original 1939 structure, allowing it to keep hosting professional hockey and fairgrounds events side by side.
Tragedy and Resilience
On October 31, 1963, a liquefied petroleum gas leak ignited during a Holiday on Ice performance, triggering an explosion that killed 81 people and injured roughly 400 more in one of Indiana’s deadliest disasters. The Coliseum was repaired and reopened, continuing to serve the fairgrounds community for generations afterward.
The venue’s cultural high point came on September 3, 1964, when The Beatles played their only Indiana concert there, cementing the Coliseum’s place in the state’s entertainment history alongside its sports legacy.
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Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum FAQs
When did the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum open?
The Coliseum opened in August 1939 on the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, replacing an earlier livestock pavilion.
What happened at the Coliseum in 1963?
A gas explosion during a Holiday on Ice show on October 31, 1963, killed 81 people and injured about 400, making it one of Indiana’s worst disasters.
What is the arena called today?
The building was renamed Corteva Coliseum in November 2024, after previously being known as Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Fairgrounds Coliseum, and Pepsi Coliseum.
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Photo: 101010 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.