2300 Arena is a former warehouse and current multi-purpose indoor arena used primarily for wrestling and boxing events. It is located in South Philadelphia on the corner of South Swanson Street and West Ritner Street.
History[]
Freight warehouse (1970s-1980s)[]
The facility was originally a warehouse in the 1970s. Rail tracks next to the building allowed trains to drop off freight for storage and then continue on to their destinations. The tracks were eventually paved over to become an extension of West Ritner Street, allowing West Ritner Street to intersect with South Swanson Street.
Viking Hall (1980s-1993)[]
The warehouse was given the name Viking Hall in the 1980s after it was bought by the South Philadelphia Viking Club, a local chapter of mummers. They used the building for storage and to rehearse for the annual Mummers Parade. Through the mid 1990s, the Viking Club would also stage midnight bingo games at the venue to raise funds for their organization.
ECW Arena (1993-2001)[]
The building gained worldwide recognition when it served as ECW Arena, home of wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from 1993 until the promotion's demise in 2001.
South Philadelphia fans were prominent in the rise of ECW from a local promotion to a national promotion. A dollar store was located next to the venue on South Swanson Street, allowing ECW fans to buy cookware and bakeware that they would hand to wrestlers during shows to be used as weapons.
ECW broadcast Barely Legal, their first live pay-per-view event from the venue in 1997. Immediately following this broadcast, a blown transistor caused the building to lose power. To this day, Barely Legal remains the only wrestling event to be broadcast live on television from the venue.
XPW Arena (2002-2003)[]
Following the demise of Extreme Championship Wrestling in 2001, many wrestling promotions ran shows at the venue. Controversy arose when Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW) signed an exclusive lease with the venue in late 2002, renaming the building XPW Arena and preventing other promotions from utilizing it. XPW went out of business in 2003, and the lease was voided.
Alhambra Arena (2004-2009)[]
The building's name was officially changed to New Alhambra Sports & Entertainment Center in 2004, and was later shortened to New Alhambra Arena in 2006 and Alhambra Arena in 2008. The name was suggested by J. Russell Peltz, who began co-promoting professional boxing cards at the venue with Joe Hand Promotions in 2004. It paid homage to the original Alhambra Movie Theater in South Philadelphia that hosted boxing in the 1950s and 1960s. In March 2005 the venue became home to Wrestle Factory, the wrestling school for Chikara.
In June 2005, an unofficial ECW reunion show called Hardcore Homecoming drew a sell-out crowd and set a record gate for the venue with $135,000 in ticket sales.
Footage shot at the venue in February 2006 was used in the film Rocky Balboa .
The ECW brand of World Wrestling Entertainment ran a house show at the venue in June 2006, with tickets for the event selling out in under four minutes.
New Jack was banned from the venue following an incident during a Pro Wrestling Xplosion show in September 2006 . He famously ordered Sprite at the venue's concession stand and was instead given 7 Up, prompting him to verbally harass the stand attendant.
Footage shot at the venue in February 2008 during a Combat Zone Wrestling show was used in the film The Wrestler .
The band New York Dolls played a concert at the venue on Valentine's Day in February 2008.
The Arena (2009-2010)[]
Joe Hand Promotions announced in January 2009 that after a five-year partnership, it would stop promoting boxing cards at the venue. The venue was then renamed to The Arena by general manager Roger Artigiani.
In February 2009, the venue began hosting regular television tapings for the Ring of Honor series Ring of Honor Wrestling.
Dragon Gate USA filmed their first pay-per-view event, Enter The Dragon at the venue in July 2009. Enter The Dragon was later voted Best Major Show of 2009 by the readers of Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
In September 2009, independent wrestler Matthew Lowry died following a Combat Zone Wrestling training session at the venue where he collapsed from a brain haemorrhage.
Matrix Fights drew a sell-out crowd with the venue's first major mixed martial arts card in February 2010, featuring Cole Konrad in the main event.
Asylum Arena (2010–2012)[]
Roger Artigiani announced in October 2010 that mixed martial arts group Asylum Fight League had purchased the naming rights to the venue and renamed it Asylum Arena.
Musician Stan Bush played a concert at the venue in April 2011 as part of Chikara's annual King of Trios weekend.
In May 2011, New Japan Pro Wrestling concluded the NJPW Invasion Tour 2011, their first ever tour of the United States, with an event at the venue.
Chikara broadcast High Noon, their first live internet pay-per-view event from the venue in November 2011.
Arena Operating, LLC (2012–2013)[]
Arena Operating, LLC (headed by Joanna Pang of the Trocadero Theatre) signed an exclusive lease with the venue in February 2012 with plans to renovate and convert it to a concert hall.
Prior to the renovations beginning, Evolve presented what was billed as the venue's final professional wrestling event, A Tribute to the Arena on January 14, 2012. The final event prior to the venue closing was a Peltz Boxing Promotions card on January 21, 2012.
The building's ownership evicted Arena Operating, LLC in April 2013 after Joanna Pang failed to complete her proposed renovations.
2300 Arena (2013-present)[]
The venue hosted the première screening of the unofficial ECW documentary Barbed Wire City in April 2013.
Extreme Rising promoted the first wrestling card at the newly renamed 2300 Arena in December 2013. The venue's name derives from its newly constructed entranceway at 2300 South Swanson Street, replacing the old entrance at 7 West Ritner Street.
Roger Artigiani plans to have the building's renovations completed for a grand reopening in April 2014.
Events[]
- ECW Hardcore TV - June 8, 1993
- ECW Hardcore TV - June 15, 1993
- ECW Super Summer Sizzler - June 19, 1993
- ECW Hardcore TV - June 22, 1993
- ECW Hardcore TV - June 29, 1993
- ECW Ultra Clash - September 18, 1993
- NWA-ECW Bloodfest Night 1 - October 1, 1993
- NWA-ECW Bloodfest Night 2 - October 2, 1993
- ECW The Night The Line Was Crossed - February 5, 1994
- ECW When Worlds Collide - May 14, 1994
- NWA World Title Tournament - August 27, 1994
- ECW Barely Legal - April 13, 1997
- ECW on TNN - September 17, 1999
- ECW on TNN - November 5, 1999
- ECW Holiday Hell 2000 - December 23, 2000
- MLW Genesis - June 15, 2002
- XPW Hostile Takeover - August 31, 2002
- XPW Fallout - October 5, 2002
- XPW Exit Sandman- November 16, 2002
- XPW Merry F'N X-Mas - December 21, 2002
- XPW New Years Revolution 3 - January 17, 2003
- XPW New Years Revolution 3: The Aftermath - January 18, 2003
- XPW My Bloody Valentine - February 14, 2003
- MLW Underground TV - April 7, 2003
- CZW Street Fight 2K4 - January 17, 2004
- CZW 5th Anniversary Show - February 7, 2004
- Hardcore Homecoming: An Extreme Reunion - June 10, 2005
- CHIKARA Tag World Grand Prix 2006 Night 3 - February 26, 2006
- ROH Arena Warfare - March 11, 2006
- UWF-TNA Hardcore War - June 9, 2006
- WWE ECW House Show - June 24, 2006
- CHIKARA Young Lions Cup IV Night 3 - June 25, 2006
- UWF-TNA The Return to Philadelphia - November 10, 2006
- CHIKARA King of Trios Night 3 - February 18, 2007
- CHIKARA Aniversario! - May 27, 2007
- CHIKARA Chapter 11 - November 18, 2007
- CHIKARA King of Trios 2008 Night 1 - February 29, 2008
- CHIKARA King of Trios 2008 Night 2 - March 1, 2008
- CHIKARA King of Trios 2008 Night 3 - March 2, 2008
- CHIKARA The Global Gauntlet Night 2 - October 19, 2008
- Ring of Honor Wrestling - March 21, 2009
- CHIKARA King of Trios Night 1 - March 27, 2009
- CHIKARA King of Trios Night 2 - March 28, 2009
- Ring of Honor Wrestling - March 28, 2009
- CHIKARA King of Trios Night 3 - March 29, 2009
- Ring of Honor Wrestling - April 4, 2009
- Ring of Honor Wrestling - April 11, 2009
- CZW Eye for an Eye - April 11, 2009
- Dragon Gate USA Open The Historic Gate - July 25, 2009
- Dragon Gate USA Enter The Dragon - September 4, 2009
- Dragon Gate USA Open The Freedom Gate - November 28, 2009
- Dragon Gate USA Freedom Fight - January 22, 2010
- CHIKARA King of Trios 2010 Night 1 - April 23, 2010
- CHIKARA King of Trios 2010 Night 2 - April 24, 2010
- CHIKARA King of Trios 2010 Night 3 - April 25, 2010
- CZW Fist Fight - May 8, 2010
- Dragon Gate USA Enter The Dragon 2010 - September 10, 2010
- CZW Cage of Death XII - December 11, 2010
- Dragon Gate USA United: Philly - January 29, 2011
- Ring of Honor Wrestling - April 4, 2011
- CZW Best of the Best X - April 9, 2011
- CHIKARA King of Trios 2011 Night 1 - April 15, 2011
- CHIKARA King of Trios 2011 Night 2 - April 16, 2011
- CHIKARA King of Trios 2011 Night 3 - April 17, 2011
- NJPW Invasion Tour 2011: Attack on the East Coast Night 3 - June 22, 2011
- CHIKARA Chikarasaurus Rex: King of the Sequel Night 2 - July 31, 2011
- CZW A Tangled Web 4 - August 13, 2011
- Dragon Gate USA Bushido 2011: Code Of The Warrior - November 12, 2011
- CHIKARA Pre-Show-A-GoGo - November 13, 2011
- CHIKARA High Noon - November 13, 2011
- CHIKARA JoshiMania Night 1 - December 2, 2011
- CZW Cage of Death XIII - December 3, 2011
- Indie Wrestling Summit - December 3, 2011
- EVOLVE 10 - January 14, 2012
- Extreme Rising Unfinished Business - December 28, 2013
- House of Hardcore VII - November 15, 2014
- CHIKARA Tomorrow Never Dies - December 6, 2014
- CZW Sixteen: An Ultraviolent Anniversary - February 21, 2015
- House of Hardcore VIII - March 7, 2015
- ROH-NJPW War Of The Worlds 2015 Night 1 - May 12, 2015
- ROH-NJPW War Of The Worlds 2015 Night 2 - May 13, 2015
- CZW New Heights 2015 - July 11, 2015
- House of Hardcore X - November 15, 2015
- ROH Final Battle 2015 - December 18, 2015
- House of Hardcore 35 - November 18, 2017
- House of Hardcore 37 - January 26, 2018
- EVOLVE 108 - August 4, 2018
- House of Hardcore 52: Indie Darlings - December 8, 2008
- CZW Cage Of Death 20 - December 9, 2018
- MLW SuperFight - February 2, 2019
- Fusion - February 2, 2019
- Fusion - February 8, 2019
- Fusion - February 16, 2019
- Fusion - February 23, 2019
- Impact! - May 17, 2019
- Impact! - May 24, 2019
- Xplosion - May 25, 2019
- Impact! - May 31, 2019
- Xplosion - June 1, 2019
- Impact! - June 7, 2019
- Impact Wrestling-HOH A Night You Can't Mist - June 8, 2019
- Xplosion - June 8, 2019
- Xplosion - June 15, 2019
- EVOLVE 131 - July 13, 2019
- NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed Philadelphia - September 29, 2019
- War Of Lucha Libre - October 13, 2019
- ROH Final Battle 2019 Fallout - December 15, 2019
- MLW Fightland 2020 - February 1, 2020
- Fusion - February 29, 2020
- Fusion - March 7, 2020
- Fusion - March 14, 2020
- Fusion - March 21, 2020
- Fusion - March 28, 2020
- Fusion - April 4, 2020
- MLW Battle Riot III - July 10, 2021
- ROH Glory By Honor XVIII - August 20-21, 2021
- ROH Death Before Dishonor XVIII - September 12, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - September 22, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - September 29, 2021
- MLW Fightland 2021 - October 2, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - October 6, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - October 13, 2021
- NJPW STRONG - October 17, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - October 20, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - October 27, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - November 3, 2021
- MLW War Chamber 2021 - Novmeber 6, 2021
- NJPW STRONG - November 6, 2021
- NJPW XTRA - November 7, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - November 10, 2021
- NJPW STRONG - November 13, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - November 17, 2021
- NJPW STRONG - November 20, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - November 25, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - December 1, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - December 9, 2021
- NJPW XTRA - December 12, 2021
- Fusion: ALPHA - December 16, 2021
- NJPW XTRA - December 19, 2021
- NJPW XTRA - December 26, 2021
- Before The Impact - March 24, 2022
- Impact! - March 24, 2022
- Battleground Championship Wrestling When Worlds Collide - March 26, 2022
- Before The Impact - March 31, 2022
- Impact! - March 31, 2022
- NJPW STRONG - June 11, 2022
- NJPW STRONG - June 18, 2022
- NJPW STRONG - June 25, 2022
- MFPW Step in the Arena - June 30, 2022
- NJPW STRONG - July 2, 2022
- MLW Underground - February 21, 2023
- MLW Underground - February 28, 2023
- MLW Underground - March 7, 2023
- MLW Underground - March 14, 2023
- MLW Underground - March 21, 2023
- MLW Underground - March 28, 2023
- MLW Underground - April 4, 2023
- MLW Underground - April 11, 2023
- NJPW Collision In Philadelphia - April 16, 2023
- MLW Underground - April 18, 2023
- MLW Underground - April 25, 2023
- MLW Underground - May 2, 2023
- NJPW All Star Junior Festival USA - August 19, 2023
- Impact Wrestling-NJPW Multiverse United 2 - August 20, 2023
- MLW Slaughterhouse - October 14, 2023
- MLW Fightland 2023 - November 18, 2023
- MLW Kings of Colosseum 2024 - January 6, 2024
- MLW Reload 2024 January 20, 2024
- MLW SuperFight 2024 - February 3, 2024
- MLW Burning Crush - February 17, 2024
- iMPACT! - March 28, 2024
- Xplosion - March 29, 2024
- iMPACT! - April 4, 2024
- Stardom American Dream 2024 In The Keystone State - April 4, 2024
- WrestleCon Mark Hitchcock Memorial SuperShow 2024 - April 4, 2024
- Xplosion - April 5, 2024
- Battleground Championship Wrestling Born To Die - April 5, 2024
- Battleground Championship Wrestling A Tribute To The Extreme 2 - April 5, 2024
- iMPACT! - April 11, 2024
- Xplosion - April 12, 2024
- iMPACT! - April 18, 2024
- Xplosion - April 19, 2024
- iMPACT! - July 4, 2024
- Xplosion - July 5, 2024
- Battleground Championship Wrestling Who Runs The World?! - July 6, 2024
- Battleground Championship Wrestling United We Stand - July 6, 2024
- iMPACT! - July 11, 2024
- Xplosion - July 12, 2024
- iMPACT! - July 18, 2024
- Xplosion - July 19, 2024
- NWA 76 - August 31, 2024
- NWA Powerrr - October 1, 2024
Promotions[]
Active
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Defunct
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