Cajundome

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Cajundome
Location	444 Cajundome Boulevard (at Congress Street) Lafayette, Louisiana 70506
Opened	1985
Closed	Open
Demolished	N/A
Owner	City of Lafayette
Operator	Cajundome, Convention Center and Artisan Creative Catering
Surface	Concrete
Construction cost	$60 million
Architect	Neil Nehrbass
Former names	N/A
Tenants	Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (NCAA) (1985-Present) Louisiana IceGators (ECHL) (1995-2005)
Capacity	Official : 12,068 Concerts: 13,500 Pro Wrestling: 12,121

The Cajundome is a 12,068 seat multi-purpose arena in Lafayette, Louisiana. The arena was completed in 1985, during the administration of Mayor William Dudley "Dud" Lastrapes, Jr., at a cost of $64 million. It is home to the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns basketball teams of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. It also hosts the Louisiana high school basketball state championship.

The arena also hosts many regional concerts (seating for concerts 8,481 to 13,500) and special events, such as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) events and the annual outdoor Cajun Heartland State Fair, an eleven day state fair that attracts over 175,000. The arena is a recognizable landmark of the city of Lafayette.

In 2002 a new convention center addition to the arena was built. The new addition added 37,301 square feet (3,465 m²) of exhibit hall space to the Cajundome's 40,000 square feet (3,716 m²) of arena floor space plus 39,685 square feet (3687 m²) of meeting space including a 15,682 square foot (1457 m²) ballroom, 12,159 square feet (1130 m²) of prefunction space and a 17,590 square foot (1630 m²) outdoor mall holding up to 2,118 for outdoor events.

From the mid 1990s through the mid 2000s it was home to the ECHL's now-defunct Louisiana IceGators. During that time, the arena earned the nickname 'The Frozen Swamp'. It also hosted the 1998, 1999, and 2007 Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball tournaments. The Cajundome also hosts the annual Beta Club Louisiana state conventions.

The Cajundome Commission manages the facility. From 1994-1996, the commission was chaired by Lafayette businessman Patrick LeBlanc (1954-2008).

The Cajundome and the New Orleans Arena are expected picks for WWE's Great American Bash 2009.

[edit] External links

• Cajundome official site

Coordinates: 30°13′6.4″N 92°2′20.6″W / 30.218444, -92.039056

v • d • e Current Basketball Arenas in the Sun Belt Conference Cajundome (Louisiana-Lafayette) • Convocation Center (Arkansas State) • E.A. Diddle Arena (Western Kentucky) • Fant-Ewing Coliseum (Louisiana-Monroe) • FAU Arena (Florida Atlantic) • Jack Stephens Center (Arkansas-Little Rock) • Lakefront Arena (New Orleans) • Magness Arena (Denver) • Mitchell Center (South Alabama) • Murphy Center (Middle Tennessee) • Pharmed Arena (Florida International) • Trojan Arena (Troy) • UNT Coliseum (North Texas) Temporary: Human Performance Center (New Orleans)