The Mayor's Scillia Report, an independent study, conceded that closing the Coliseum would result in the loss of $6.1 million in business for New Haven.

The Scillia Report stated, "The New Haven Memorial Coliseum was identified as a key component in the revitalization of New Haven as a regional arts and entertainment center,"

No public forum was ever provided to determine the fate of the Coliseum.

In the City's fiscal year ending June 20, 2001, The Coliseum drew 325,000 people.

Under SMG management, event days were increasing at the Coliseum. There were 71 in 2000, 106 in 2001, and 113 events in 2002.

The City of New Haven currently pays $1 million debt service each year on the $23 million in municipal bonds sold to build the Coliseum and will continue to do so through 2009.

In the summer of 2002, the Coliseum outdrew the Hartford Civic Center and the Arena at Harbor Yard - combined!

The Coliseum had the NCAA Woman's Frozen Four Hockey Tournament 2004. Imagine all the business lost by area restaurants, hotels, motels, nightclubs, etc.

Elvis Presley performed at the New Haven Coliseum!

Frank Sinatra performed at the Coliseum.

In 1999 and 2000, $4.5 million was spent in improvements to the Coliseum.

New Haven City Hall was upset over estimated Coliseum losses of $400,000 for 2002. The Long Wharf Theater actually lost $650,000 in 2002, and faces more than $600,000 debt in the 2003-2004 season.

City Hall ordered SMG not to schedule events at the Coliseum, May 2002.

The New Haven Coliseum was subsidized with $800,000 from the State Hotel/Motel tax each year.

No big-name national acts have performed in New Haven since the Coliseum was closed.

A public referendum regarding the fate of the Coliseum was proposed by Alderman Brian Jenkins, the idea was killed by pro-DeStefano alderman.

City Hall's claim that engineers estimate it would cost $30 million to bring the Coliseum up to code is interesting. The Fire Marshal has never cited the Coliseum as needing any such improvements.

Along with being denied Coliseum events, 2400 parking spaces were also lost.

Garth Brooks performed at the Coliseum. Three hours prior to the event, I-95, I-91, and Route 34 was jammed with concert goers. Restaurants, nightclubs, and area business flooded with customers.

Four-time Grammy Award winner Pat Benatar filmed a concert in the Coliseum titled Live In New Haven, and it it still being sold and in demand today.

Van Halen also taped a concert in the Coliseum. Titled Live Without A Net, the performance is said to be one of thier best. Van Halen's fifth world tour sold out all 80 of it's US concerts during an industry wide slump in concert ticket sales. It was the largest production ever taken on the road at that time, with 1.4 million watts of light, 10,000 watts of sound and 170 tons of equipment. The video is still available.

The Coliseum was built in 1972 at a cost of 19 million dollars. The exhibition hall, protected upper roof, street level storefronts, and other important features were never completed.

Save the New Haven Coliseum! Visit the main page at SaveNHC.tripod.com