The Rochester Community War Memorial opened on October 18, 1955, in downtown Rochester, New York, as a tribute to the city’s World War II veterans. Designed by architect Leonard A. Waasdorp, the arena quickly became the region’s premier gathering place for sports and entertainment, hosting the NBA’s Rochester Royals and the 1956 NBA All-Star Game within its first year.
After a $41 million renovation completed in 1998, the building reopened under the name Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial, a name it still carries today. Through every era and every name change, it has remained the year-round home of the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League, continuing the venue’s original mission as a living memorial that serves the community.
- Sacramento Kings played here 1955–1957. See every Kings arena →
Stats at a Glance
- Original Name: Rochester Community War Memorial
- Current Name: Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Opened: October 18, 1955
- Capacity: About 10,662 (hockey/lacrosse configuration)
- Tenants: Rochester Americans (AHL), Rochester Knighthawks (NLL)
- Notable Fact: Hosted the 1956 NBA All-Star Game
Built as a Living Memorial
Unlike a traditional stone monument, Rochester’s war memorial took the form of a working public arena, meant to serve the community for generations rather than simply mark the past. From its opening weeks, it hosted the Rochester Royals of the NBA and the 1956 NBA All-Star Game, establishing the building as a major-league venue in its very first years of operation.
The arena also built a reputation as a touring concert stop, with Judy Garland, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and the Grateful Dead all performing there across the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, cementing its dual identity as both a sports and entertainment hub.
From War Memorial to Blue Cross Arena
A $41 million renovation in the mid-1990s removed the arena’s permanent stage and modernized its seating, and the building reopened on September 18, 1998 under a new sponsorship name, Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. Further upgrades in 2018, including new scoreboard and audio-visual systems under operator Pegula Sports and Entertainment, kept the decades-old building current.
Despite the corporate naming rights, the arena has never shed its original identity, and it continues to be the home ice of the Rochester Americans, one of professional hockey’s longest-running AHL franchises.
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Rochester Community War Memorial FAQs
Is the Rochester Community War Memorial still standing?
Yes. The building still stands in downtown Rochester and operates today under the name Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
When did the Rochester Community War Memorial open?
It opened on October 18, 1955, as a memorial to Rochester-area veterans of World War II.
What team plays at the former War Memorial today?
The Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League have called the arena home since 1956.
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Photo: Matthew D. Wilson (LtPowers) / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.