Venue: Harrah's Cherokee Center
Town: North Carolina, US
Capacity: 7,200

The Harrah's Cherokee Center - Asheville, previously known as the U.S. Cellular Center and originally as the Asheville Civic Center Complex, is a multipurpose entertainment center, located in Asheville, North Carolina. Opened in 1974, the complex is home to an arena, auditorium, banquet hall and meeting rooms. ExploreAsheville.com Arena (formerly the "Asheville Civic Center Arena" from 1974-2011) is the main arena/venue of the civic center. It holds 7,674 guests. Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (originally the "Asheville City Auditorium" from 1940 to 1975) is a horseshoe-shaped theatre located to the north of the arena. The auditorium was originally built in 1939 as a part of the Works Progress Administration. Opening in January 1940, it was renovated in 1974 and reopened December 1975. It can hold 2,431 guests. Banquet Hall is a ballroom that holds nearly 500 guests. In July 1968, the Asheville City Council approved a civic center plan which would add an exhibition center, meeting space and an arena to Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. As downtown was declining due to suburban development and malls, the complex would be a way to help downtown make a comeback. The arena was the first venue of its type in the city. It was home to the Asheville Altitude basketball team in the NBDL, before the franchise moved to Tulsa in 2005 and the United Hockey League's Asheville Smoke and also the SPHL's Asheville Aces. The venue was a major stop for Jim Crockett Promotions Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in the 1970's and 1980's. It also hosted WCW Clash of the Champions XII, WCW SuperBrawl III, Fall Brawl (1995) as well as the 1999 and 2000 Big South Conference men's basketball tournament and 1984-1995 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament. The age and the condition of the facility helped lead to the Southern Conference's departure. Commencement exercises for the University of North Carolina at Asheville were last held in the venue in 1999. With the Civic Center losing money, improv