Verizon Arena
ALLTEL Arena is an 18,000-seat indoor venue for concerts and other entertainment events located in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The arena is across the river from the downtown Little Rock River Market. The arena was built in 1998 for $50 million, and opened in 1999.
The arena is home to the Arkansas Twisters indoor football and River Blades ice hockey teams.
During construction a number of construction flaws appeared, including "concrete pillars and connecting incline beams that were poured up to six inches out of alignment." The concrete pillars and connecting incline beams were poured by Nabholz Building & Management Corp. of Greenbrier. According to Art Hunkele, senior project manager for Vratsinas Construction Co. of Little Rock and Turner Construction Co. of New York and Dallas concrete pillar and piers define the perimeter of the arena, and the beams support seating. There are two more rows of pillars and piers within the perimeter. It was the middle row where forty percent of the pillars and piers were incorrectly placed.
A cracked upper deck beam, soon remedied, caused cancellation of a Lakers-Wizards NBA game in October 1999.
The arena lost $378,000 in 2001, and turned a profit of $51,000 in 2002.
References
- Alicia Stogner, "Arena Lives Up to Promise: Shaky Opening Fades as Alltel Arena Turns Profit," Arkansas Business, February 24, 2003.
