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Former names | CSU Convocation Center (1991–2005) |
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Location | 2000 Prospect Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115 |
Coordinates | 41°29′57″N 81°40′37″W / 41.49917°N 81.67694°W |
Owner | Cleveland State University |
Operator | Cleveland State University |
Capacity | 15,000 with floor seats[1] 13,610 permanent seats 8,500 for CSU games[2] |
Surface | Multi-surface |
Construction | |
Broke ground | August 1989 |
Opened | November 1, 1991 |
Construction cost | USD$55 million ($153 million in 2023 dollars[3]) |
Architect | URS-Dalton Consultants, Cleveland, Whitley/Whitley Architects, Cleveland, OH |
Tenants | |
Cleveland State Vikings (NCAA) 1991–present Cleveland Charge (NBAGL) 2021–2024 Cleveland Crunch (NPSL/MISL) 1992–2005 | |
Website | |
https://www.wolsteincenter.com/ |
The Bert L. and Iris S. Wolstein Center is a 13,610-seat indoor arena located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the campus of Cleveland State University (CSU). It is home to the Cleveland State Vikings men's and women's basketball teams and previously served as the home of the Cleveland Crunch of the National Professional Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League from 1992 to 2005 and the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League from 2021 to 2024.
The building opened in 1991 as a replacement for Woodling Gym and was known until 2005 as the CSU Convocation Center. It is named for Bert Wolstein, a Cleveland area real estate developer, former owner of the Force, and CSU alumnus, and his wife Iris. The main arena is known as Henry J. Goodman Arena, named for a businessman and former chairman of the CSU Board of Trustees.
In its full configuration, it seats 13,610 for basketball, and with additional floor seating can hold 15,000 for concerts and professional wrestling.[1] In addition to the arena, the Wolstein Center also has a practice gym and grand ballroom. It is the largest basketball arena in the Horizon League and the second-largest college basketball arena in Ohio by total seating capacity.
In recent years, Cleveland State has downsized capacity for basketball to 8,500 for most Vikings games. The basketball floor is placed closer to the eastern baseline, and the western third of the arena is curtained off. For many games only lower-level seating is available and upper-level seating sections are covered with tarps, further reducing available seating.[4] The area behind the curtain is used for a variety of other purposes, including a "Kids Fun Zone" children's play area during games. The curtain itself was adorned with a large American flag for several years and since 2023 features a video board and auxiliary scoreboard facing the court.[2]
The Wolstein Center has also hosted numerous concerts, featuring artists such as David Bowie, Elton John, Martina McBride, TLC, Carrie Underwood, Justin Bieber, Janet Jackson, 311, The Beastie Boys, The Cure, The Blue Man Group and Twenty One Pilots. The arena was site of the 1998 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships and served as host for first and second-round games of the 2000 and 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments as well as the 2019 NCAA Fencing Championships.[5][6]