The Von Braun Center (known as Von Braun Civic Center until 1997) is an entertainment complex, with a maximum arena seating capacity of 9,000, located in Huntsville, Alabama. The original facility debuted in 1975 and has undergone several significant expansions since its opening. In addition to the arena, the VBC complex features multiple exhibit halls, a concert hall, a playhouse, a music venue, and several additional facilities for meetings and exhibitions.
History
It is named in honor of Wernher von Braun, the German-Americanrocket scientist. After von Braun's work for Nazi Germany in World War II, he was brought to the United States Army's Redstone Arsenal along with many colleagues via Operation Paperclip. Their work laid the foundation for the United States space program. Planning for the facility began in 1965.[6] The original construction included the sports arena, an exhibit hall space now known as East Hall, a concert hall, a playhouse, and museum space for the Huntsville Museum of Art. The arena as originally built seated about 8,000 for concerts, and included scoreboards and a refrigerated floor for ice events. The concert hall included an orchestra rehearsal room, dressing space for performers, and a lounge for patrons. The facility, originally referred to as the "Von Braun Civic Center", opened on March 14, 1975.[7]
The VBC's first expansion was a west-side addition to the exhibit hall, opened in 1980 and originally referred to as West Hall (the combined space is now called simply East Hall). Expanded kitchen facilities for catering were added in 1983. Originally this was a standalone building, but it became incorporated into the construction of North Hall in 1987. North Hall was constructed as a high-end exhibit and ballroom space, with carpeting and decorative lighting. A second-floor gallery can be opened to the main space or closed off, and it has a variety of meeting rooms and salons attached.
In 1993 the city was bidding to host a meeting of the American Bowling Congress, which would require space for bowling lanes and exhibits for six months. In order to supply the space, the city agreed to the construction of South Hall, which opened in 1997. Around that same time, the word "Civic" was dropped from the facility's name. South Hall is the VBC's largest exhibit space at 100,800 sq ft (9,365 m2); it includes a large lobby area, a partitionable ballroom, and an underground parking garage. Its construction involved eliminating a portion of Williams Avenue and re-routing part of Monroe Street. A sky walk connecting South Hall to a newly constructed adjacent hotel was added in 2006.
The oldest portions of the facility underwent renovation in 2011. The improvements included new seating for the arena, reconstruction of the arena and concert hall lobbies, and a new exterior facade.
Another expansion in 2020 created Mars Music Hall and Rhythm on Monroe. Mars Music Hall can be figured with pit-style standing area for about 1,100 with additional night-club style seating on a mezzanine level or can be configured with seats on the floor for about 800. Across the hall, Rhythm on Monroe offers a variety of selections from pub grub to upscale dining and features a rooftop bar overlooking Huntsville.
Major renovations to the high-end exhibit space, North Hall were completed in 2023.
Elvis Presley
According to The Von Braun Center website, Elvis Presley appeared May 30 through June 1, 1975 for an unprecedented five performances. It was the first time Elvis had played that many consecutive performances in a venue outside of Las Vegas or Stateline, Nevada.[7]
On February 10, 2007, the Huntsville Havoc beat the Knoxville Ice Bears 7–6, in front of the largest crowd for a sporting event in the VBC's history, with 7,083 fans.[9]
In 2024, the VBC began hosting the conference tournament for Men's and Women's basketball for Conference USA.
Entertainment and culture
The arena has hosted numerous rock, pop, and country music concerts. Three music videos for the band, Kansas promoting the Monolith Album - featuring a Sci-Fi Native American: On the Other Side, Away from you, and People of the South Wind were film in and on the Von Braun Center. The VBC Concert Hall has been the home venue for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra since the facility opened in 1975.[7] The concert hall also hosts the productions of the Broadway Theater League. The playhouse hosts the productions of Theatre Huntsville, the Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater, and the Jim Parker Songwriters Series, as well as numerous community events. The yearly Panoply of the Arts outdoor festival takes place in Big Spring Park adjacent to the VBC.
The VBC provided space for the Huntsville Museum of Art from its opening until 1998, when the museum moved to a nearby facility. The former museum is now used as office space for VBC staff.
On October 23, 2008, it was announced that the VBC Arena would undergo a massive $15M renovation and would be renamed the Propst Arena, after the family that donated $5M to the city for the expansion.[10] On Friday, February 5, 2010, a groundbreaking ceremony was held marking further renovations to what is now known as the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall.[11]
