Lake Charles Event Center History You May Not Know
Lake Charles, La [KNGT-FM] - If you’ve spent any time in Lake Charles or around Southwest Louisiana, chances are you’ve walked through the doors of the building now known as the Lake Charles Event Center, formerly the Lake Charles Civic Center. Sitting right along the lakefront, it has long been one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks and a gathering place for generations of residents.
When it first opened, the Civic Center was a major stop on the national tour circuit for renowned performers. While today’s mega-tours often favor massive stadiums and arenas, the Event Center still plays a vital role in the community by hosting a wide variety of events year-round.
Inside the complex, you’ll find the Sudduth Coliseum, the Rosa Hart Theatre, and multiple floors of meeting rooms and event spaces. Over the years, these spaces have been used for a wide range of events, including concerts, Broadway-style shows, festivals, job fairs, Mardi Gras balls, monster truck events, and high school proms.
The building officially opened in 1972, making it more than five decades old. The main arena, the Sudduth Coliseum, was named after former Lake Charles Mayor James Sudduth and can seat up to 7,450 people.
Some legendary names have taken the stage there, including Garth Brooks, George Strait, Reba McEntire, Elvis Presley, Bon Jovi, Alabama, and many more. It’s also home to the long-running Marshland Festival.
Sports history runs deep there as well. McNeese State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams once called it home, and the venue later hosted professional teams like the Ice Pirates and the Louisiana Swashbucklers.
One of the most fascinating facts? The land where the Event Center sits was once part of the lake itself, filled in to create the site. There’s even a historic steamboat, the Borealis Rex, buried on the grounds, a reminder that this iconic venue is built on layers of local history.
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