Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark
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Rimrock Auto Arena is an 12,000 seat multi-purpose arena in Billings, Montana, USA. The arena was completed in 1975 and named Yellowstone METRA. The acronym stood for Montana's Ag, Trade and Recreation Arena. A great deal of controversy surrounded the facility when it was built, with many in the community seeing it as a burden. (Indeed, some people still view it as such today.)[citation needed] Later the entire fairgrounds surrounding the arena was named MetraPark, and the arena became MetraPark Arena. It is owned by the city of Billings, Montana and Yellowstone County. In 2005, MetraPark Arena marked its 30th anniversary. The arena hosts a variety of local sporting, musical, and other events. It has also hosted professional sporting competitions.
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[edit] Sports teams
- Billings Outlaws - United Indoor Football Team
- Billings Bulls - NorPac Ice Hockey Team (home ice from 1993-2006, hosted two games in the 2007-08 season).
- Billings Rims - Defunct AAPBL Basketball Team
- Billings Rimrockers - Defunct IBA Basketball Team
- Billings Bighorns - Defunct WHL Ice Hockey Team
- Billings Thunderbolts - Defunct IFL Football Team
- Billings Volcanoes - Defunct CBA Basketball Team
[edit] Sporting events
Metrapark has hosted pre-season NBA games on a semi-regular basis. The most recent game was October 20th, 2005 in which the Indiana Pacers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 93-76.
In the summer of 2005, Metrapark hosted tryouts for the All-American Professional Basketball League (AAPBL), a new minor basketball league. The tryouts took place from July 11, 2005 - July 22, 2005. However, the league folded soon thereafter.
MetraPark has also played host to various WWE and WCW wrestling events including a live televised WCW Monday Nitro television show in 2000.
[edit] Name change
On February 21, 2007, Rimrock Auto Group announced a 10-year, US $1 million naming rights deal for the arena. Beginning July 1, it became known as the Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark.[1]
[edit] Annual events
- Montana State High School Wrestling Tournament - FEB
- M.A.T.E (Montana Agri-Trade Expo) - FEB
- Spring Home Improvement Show - MAR
- MontanaFair - AUG
- Fall Home Improvement Show - SEP
- NILE Rodeo - OCT
- Chase Hawks Memorial Rough Stock Rodeo - DEC
- Every other year MetraPark host a Men's college basketball game between Montana State and Wyoming.
[edit] Notable past performers
- 12 Stones
- 3 Doors Down
- Beach Boys
- Black Sabbath
- Blindside
- Boyz II Men
- Brad Paisley
- Breaking Benjamin
- Cauterize
- Cher
- Christina Aguilera
- Cold
- Def Leppard
- Crossfade
- Dark New Day
- Daughtry
- The Eagles
- Evanescence
- Garth Brooks
- George Strait
- Jerry Cantrell
- Johnny Cash
- Josh Gracin
- Kiss
- In This Moment
- Lifehouse
- Linkin Park
- Lonestar
- Mannheim Steamroller
- Megadeth
- Meshuggah
- Metallica
- The Moody Blues
- Mudvayne
- Neil Diamond
- Nickelback
- Our Lady Peace
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Papa Roach
- Phil Vassar
- Raven Symone
- REO Speedwagon
- Revis
- Rob Zombie
- Rodney Atkins
- Rush
- Saliva
- Seether
- Shania Twain
- Shinedown
- Smashing Pumpkins
- Styx
- Tantric
- Three Days Grace
- Tool
- Van Halen
- Weezer
- Xzibit
[edit] U.S. presidential visits
- George W. Bush - 2001 and 2006
- Bill Clinton - 1996
- Ronald Reagan - 1982
- John F. Kennedy - 1963 Kennedy spoke from the Fairgrounds, which is now a part of the Metrapark.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Howard, Tom. "County OKs deals for ads, video, arena name", Billings Gazette, 2007-2-21. Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
[edit] External links
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