The Cow Palace
(originally known as the California State Livestock Pavilion
) is an indoor arena in Daly City, California, situated on the border of Daly City and neighboring San Francisco. The State of California is currently considering negotiations with Daly City. If successful, the site will be razed to make way for condos and a supermarket. [1] [2]
|
COW PALACE TICKETS
|
History
Completed in
1941 it hosted the
San Francisco Warriors of the
NBA from
1962 to
1964 and again from
1966 to
1971. In 1956 and 1964 it was the site of the
Republican National Convention. It also hosted the
San Jose Sharks of the
NHL from
1991 to
1993 until the
San Jose Arena was built. During the 1960s and 1970s the SF Examiner Games, a world-class indoor
track & field meet, was held annually at the Cow Palace. Additionally it hosted the Bay Bombers of the
Roller Derby; the Derby's world championship playoffs were held at the Cow Palace every fall beginning from 1959 through 1973, when the organization was disbanded. The arena seats 11,089 for
ice hockey and 12,953 for
basketball. It has also been the home of the annual
Grand National Rodeo, Horse & Stock Show since
1941 (except for a break from
1942 to
1945 due to
World War II). The venue hosted the 1960 men's NCAA basketball
Final Four and the 1967
NBA All-Star Game. It hosted four
WCW SuperBrawl shows between 1997 and 2000 and recently it was the site of
WWE No Way Out, in 2004.
[3] On July 17, 2008, it will also serve as the audition venue for the 8th season of
American Idol.
[4]
Rodeos and livestock expositions
The Cow Palace is officially the 1-A District Agricultural Association, a State agency of the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Division of Fairs and Expositions. It has extensive stable and barn facilities for animal events, which are used for the annual Grand National Rodeo and occasionally for other events.
Behind the name
The idea for the arena was originally conceived as the result of the popularity of the livestock pavilion at the
1915 Pan-Pacific Exposition. It was another decade before steps were taken to finance the building, and legislative delays and the onset of the
Great Depression meant that the building was not completed until
1941. One story for how the current name came about tells of a newspaper editorial that wondered aloud "Why, when people are starving, should money be spent on a "palace for cows?" Thus, the
Cow Palace
was born.
During World War II
The arena opened in April,
1941. During
World War II, though, the arena was used for processing soldiers bound for the Pacific Theater. In the following years, it hosted innumerable hockey and basketball games, wrestling and boxing matches, concerts, Roller Derby and political events, most notably the
1956 and
1964 Republican National Conventions. The arena is still used for the
Grand National Rodeo today and other events.
Band concerts
Rock music bands that have held concerts at the Cow Palace include
Iron Maiden,
Saxon,
Nine Inch Nails,
The Beatles,
Wings,
The Doors,
The Grateful Dead,
Billy Idol,
Eric Clapton,
Elton John,
Pink Floyd,
Scorpions,
Donovan,
Kiss,
Nirvana,
Pearl Jam,
Mötley Crüe,
Elvis Presley,
Red Hot Chili Peppers,
The Rolling Stones,
U2,
Megadeth,
Metallica,
Rush,
Primus,
The 1998 and 1999 Family Values Tour,
Journey,
Van Halen. During a 1973
The Who concert, the band's drummer
Keith Moon passed out from an overdose of horse tranquilizers and a fan of the band
Scot Halpin completed the group's set that evening.
A majority of the songs on the album
Live Rust and the concert film Rust Never Sleeps by
Neil Young & Crazy Horse were recorded during a concert at the Cow Palace on October 22, 1978.
Fleetwood Mac filmed both of their 12th and 13th December 1987 concerts at the Palace for a
DVD, later released in 1988.
The Allman Brothers Band played there on New Year's Eve, 1973 with Grateful Dead members sitting in.
The Grateful Dead also held a solo concert on New Year's Eve 1976 and released a live CD, titled "Live at the Cow Palace: New Year's Eve 1976". Live 105's 10-for-10 (10 bands for 10 bucks) was held there in the 1990s, featuring
Beck,
Orbital,
Cake and
The Chemical Brothers as well as 6 other bands.
Recent developments
State Senator
Leland Yee is working to pass legislation that would allow Daly City to purchase the Cow Palace from California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Fairs and Expositions. The city says that it wishes to use the land to build new housing and shopping.
However, the legislation is opposed by groups that regularly use the venue and other California citizens outside Daly City.
Location
The Cow Palace has a Daly City address, and except for the very northwest corner of the parking lot it lies physically entirely within
Daly City. But by most people it is known as a
San Francisco attraction. Both the Daly City Police Department and
San Francisco Police Department patrol its grounds during events.
Notes
- The Cow Palace may be history
- Landmark arena gets reprieve as bill stalls
- Cow Palace History
- American Idol Auditions
- Cow Palace Land Purchase Bill Debate Heats Up
- Exhibitions or demolition? Cow Palace's fate in question