Long Beach Arena opened in October 1962 as the entertainment centerpiece of what is now the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, rising on the downtown waterfront site once occupied by the old Long Beach Municipal Auditorium. For decades it has flexed between sports, touring concerts, and civic events, proving itself as one of Southern California’s most adaptable mid-size venues.
The arena’s resume ranges from hosting the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings for a temporary stint to welcoming Olympic volleyball. Its configurable seating bowl and downtown location near the Pacific Ocean have kept it in steady use for touring acts, trade shows, and sporting exhibitions for more than six decades.
- Los Angeles Kings played here 1967. See every Kings arena →
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Long Beach, California
- Opened: October 1962
- Capacity (hockey): about 11,200-12,500
- Capacity (basketball): about 13,600-14,000
- Capacity (concerts): about 10,500-14,500, depending on configuration
- Notable fact: Hosted volleyball at the 1984 Summer Olympics
A Stage for Sports History
On October 14, 1967, Long Beach Arena hosted the first-ever NHL game between two expansion franchises, as the Los Angeles Kings beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2. The Kings used the arena as a temporary home while the Forum in Inglewood was still being finished. Years later, the building earned a spot in Olympic history when it hosted the volleyball competitions of the 1984 Summer Olympics, with the U.S. men’s team taking gold on its home floor.
A Landmark for Live Music
Beyond sports, Long Beach Arena became a magnet for touring rock acts through the 1970s and 1980s, with performers including the Grateful Dead and U2 playing its stage. Its best-known musical moment came in March 1985, when Iron Maiden played a four-night stand there that was filmed and recorded for the band’s platinum-selling live album and video, Live After Death, cementing the arena’s place in heavy metal history.
Explore more: Explore more legendary stadiums and arenas.
A see-through purse that looks like a purse. Works for most stadium, arena and concert bag policies.
Bleachers for three hours, but with back support. Folds flat and clips to the bench.
For upper-deck seats. Watch line play at the stadium, or the far side of the park from the top of a lift hill.
Long Beach Arena FAQs
When did Long Beach Arena open?
The arena opened in October 1962 as part of what later became the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center.
What Olympic event did Long Beach Arena host?
It hosted the volleyball competitions of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
What famous concert was recorded at Long Beach Arena?
Iron Maiden recorded their 1985 live album and video Live After Death during a four-night run at the arena.
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Photo: Tehsigo Eternamente (J Mondragon) from USA / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.