North Carolina's sports venues: A rich history of world class facilities
Posted October 7, 2023 6:00 a.m. EDT
Updated December 3, 2023 1:34 p.m. EST
North Carolina is a state with a rich history in sports, and its sports venues reflect that.
From the historic Cameron Indoor Stadium to the Dean Smith Center to PNC Arena, North Carolina's sports venues are some of the best in the country.
Football
Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh
Carter-Finely Stadium opened on Oct. 8, 1966, when the Wolfpack hosted South Carolina for Dedication Day. It initially opened as Carter Stadium to honor Harry C. & Wilbert J. "Nick" Carter, both graduates of the university. They were major contributors to the original building of the stadium.
The stadium added the name of Albert Finley, another major contributor to the university, in September 1979.
Carter-Finley Stadium, which has served as the home of the NC State Wolfpack football team since 1966, has a capacity of 56,919 fans. It is the second-largest stadium in North Carolina behind Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Carter-Finley Stadium hosted the outdoor Stadium Series NHL game on Feb. 18, 2023, against the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals. The Canes won 4-1.
Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill
Kenan Memorial Stadium opened on Nov. 12, 1927. It has served as the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football team since then.
“It’s built in the woods,” said former WRAL Sports Director and current WRAL Sports contributor Bob Holliday. “I mean, it’s a remarkable location. I’ve never seen another stadium with this kind of location.”
As of 2018, Kenan Memorial Stadium has a capacity of 50,500 fans.
Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham
Since 1929, Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium has served as the home of the Duke Blue Devils. It initially opened as Duke Stadium.
In 1967, it was renamed for legendary Duke head coach Wallace Wade, who led the Blue Devils to a 110-36-7 record and two Rose Bowl appearances.
It includes the 1942 Rose Bowl. It was played on New Year’s Day 1942 at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor prompted the Rose Bowl’s organizers not to play the game at the Rose Bowl in southern California. Oregon State beat Duke 20-16 in the game.
In July 2015, Duke alum Steve Brooks, the Phoenix American Insurance Group CEO, donated $13 million to the Duke Athletics department. The playing surface was renamed Brooks Field in his honor.
Since 2016, Wallace Wade Stadium has a capacity of 40,004 fans.
Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte
Since opening on Aug. 3, 1996, Bank of America Stadium – formerly known as Ericsson Stadium – has served as the home of the Carolina Panthers. It is also the home of Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer.
Bank of America Stadium is the largest in North Carolina, holding 74,867 fans.
In 1995, the Panthers played their inaugural season at Clemson University's Memorial Stadium.
Basketball
Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham
Cameron Indoor Stadium – formerly known as Duke Indoor Stadium – opened on Jan. 6, 1940. The legendary venue seats 9,314 fans.
The students and fans who attend Cameron Indoor Stadium are known as the “Cameron Crazies” for their support of the Duke Blue Devils.
For access to major games, including those against rival school the University of North Carolina, students reside in tents for months in an area outside of Cameron known as "Krzyzewskiville," named after longtime head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Cameron Indoor Stadium serves as the home court for Duke men's and women's basketball teams along with the school’s women's volleyball team.
Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill
The Dean Smith Center known by its colloquial name “The Dean Dome” opened on Jan. 18, 1986. The arena, named after longtime North Carolina head coach Dean Smith, has been expanded and renovated since it first opened.
It has a capacity of 21,750 fans.
Since 1986, it has served as the home of the North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball team. It has served as the home of the school’s women’s basketball team from 2008-2010.
The arena opened on Jan. 18, 1986, when North Carolina played Duke. The Tar Heels beat the Blue Devils, 95-92.
PNC Arena in Raleigh
PNC Arena opened Oct. 29, 1999. It had the name of the Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena from 1999–2002. It was called the RBC Center from 2002-2012.
It became PNC Arena in 2012.
PNC Arena is home to the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League and the NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team.
It can hold 18,600 fans for hockey games, 19,500 for basketball games and 21,000 people for concerts.
With online sports gambling coming to North Carolina in 2024, there are several proposals for improvements at PNC Arena. The proposals include a sportsbook, bars in the upper level that face the playing surface, refreshing restrooms and suites, re-purposing the box office concourse, creating multiple access points and improving behind-the-scenes infrastructure for concerts and other events.
Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh
Reynolds Coliseum continues to serve as the home to all services of ROTC and several NC State Wolfpack teams, including women's basketball, women's volleyball, women's gymnastics and men's wrestling.
It served as the home for the NC State men’s basketball team from 1949 to 1999. Each year, the Wolfpack men’s basketball team typically plays one regular-season game at Reynolds Coliseum.
When it opened as the home for the men's basketball team in 1949, it could seat 12,400 fans.
Seating capacity has since been reduced from 12,400 to 8,300, and then again to 5,500 (can accommodate 6,000 depending on configuration) to provide an intimate home court environment for the Wolfpack.
While construction started in 1942 on Reynolds Coliseum, it didn’t open until Dec. 2, 1949, because of World War II, according to WRAL Sports contributor and former WRAL Sports director Bob Holliday.
“I’m a North Carolina graduate, but, without question, Reynolds Coliseum is my favorite building,” Holliday said. “You can hear the emotion in my voice as I’m talking about it.
“Just, so much stuff happened there.”
Greensboro Coliseum Complex
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex, often referred to as the Greensboro Coliseum, opened Oct. 29, 1959. It has been the home of several sports teams.
It currently serves as the home of the UNC Greensboro Spartans (NCAA), Greensboro Swarm (NBAGL) and Carolina Cobras (NAL).
The Carolina Hurricanes played at the Greensboro Coliseum from 1997 to 1999 before moving to Raleigh.
The Greensboro Coliseum often serves as the host site for the ACC men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.
Holliday believes the greatest men’s college basketball game was played at the venue.
“I’ll argue anybody til the final death that NC State-Maryland [in the] 1974 ACC Championship was … the greatest game ever played,” Holliday said. “Given what was at stake, two of the three best teams in America, and only one goes onto the NCAA Tournament or any tournament.”
NC State won 103-100 in overtime.
The Wolfpack won the national championship that season, defeating Marquette 76-64 at the venue.
NC State also defeated UCLA, 80-77 in double overtime, in the semifinal game played on March 23, 1974, at the Greensboro Coliseum. UCLA had won seven consecutive national titles.
The Greensboro Coliseum can hold more than 35,000 fans.
Spectrum Center in Charlotte
The Spectrum Center opened Oct. 21, 2005. It was known as Charlotte Bobcats Arena from 2005–2008 and Time Warner Cable Arena from 2008–2016.
The Charlotte Hornets have played at the Spectrum Center since 2005. It has an NBA capacity of 19,077.
The arena can expand to 20,200 fans for college basketball or pro wrestling events. Its concert capacity is 18,504.
It has a hockey capacity of 14,100 fans.
Baseball
Durham Bulls Athletic Park
The DBAP opened on April 6, 1995, for its inaugural season in front of 10,886 fans. The ballpark was built with a capacity to Carolina League standards. However, the land that the DBAP was built on had more room in case the ballpark needed to expand for Triple-A baseball.
“I have to tip my hat to my former boss and mentor, Jim Goodmon,” Holliday said. “He had the vision to make this happen.
“It’s arguably the most extraordinary that has happened in the Triangle in my lifetime.”
In 1998, triple-A baseball came to Durham. The Bulls moved up from High-A to Triple-A, with the DBAP expanded to Triple-A standards.
Before the DBAP’s opening, the Bulls played from 1926-1994 at Durham Athletic Park (DAP) at 428 Morris St.
NASCAR
North Wilkesboro Speedway
The North Wilkesboro Speedway initially opened on May 18, 1947. It had three reopenings: 2009, May 2010 and August 2022.
The site held the NASCAR All-Star Race in May 2023.
The speedway will host NASCAR’s 2024 All-Star Race too.
The speedway was renovated in 2021 using an $18 million allocation from the state's share of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
North Carolina lawmakers added $4 million in the budget to continue improvements at the site. Additionally, the new budget also makes changes to the new sports betting law, passed earlier this year, that will allow sports betting lounges to be opened at tracks including the North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Charlotte Motor Speedway opened on June 19, 1960.
The complex features a 1.5-mile quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Bank of America Roval 400.
Depending on the speedway’s configuration, it can hold between 94,000-171,000 people.
