Will Rogers Coliseum and Memorial Center

Hello everyone,
my name is Debbie Liles and I am new to this Fort Worth list. I am a PhD student at the University of North Texas. I also posted this message on the Architecture Forum, apologies if you are reading this for a second time.

I am currently in the process of producing a book about Will Rogers Coliseum and Memorial Center with Arcadia Publishing. The main focus of all Arcadia books is vintage photographs. I am looking of any and all that anyone is willing to share. This can include anything including early construction, fat stock show, entertainment of any kind, art, anything. The more I have to chose from the better the end product will be.

My purpose is to preserve some of the history of this amazing center. A couple of years ago I wrote my master's thesis about Wyatt C. Hedrick, one of the architects of the building, it was then that I discovered that there was no book available. How could that be? If we don't preserve it, we will lose it, I just don't want to see that happen.

Hopefully waiting for any answers. Thank you for your time,

Debbie.

deborahliles@my.unt.edu

Debbie, welcome to the Forum. I'm very familiar with Arcadia Books and I congratulate you in your efforts. I'm sure you have contacted the UTA Library Special Collections for the photos in the Jack White Collection, which are hosted on this site. I'm sure you are also familiar in the fact that the Will Rogers Memorial Center is not designated as a local Historic and Cultural Landmark. I agree with you in that if we don't preserve it, we will lose it.

By the way, you posted this in two forums, so I have left this one under Local History/Historic Photographs and I have deleted the post in Fort Worth Architecture.

Thank you John, I appreciate the warm welcome and the congratulations!

I have an appointment with Cathy and Brenda at UT Arlington on Monday. There are so many wonderful items in UT Arlington's archives, I am looking forward to seeing what is there and what else I need to hunt down.

As you stated, WRC is not designated as a local Historic and Cultural Landmark; this was another of the reasons I wanted to do this book, and used it in my proposal. For the life of me I do not understand why as it is a fabulous facility, filled with historical architecture, art, and memories - to name just a few things.

Debbie

deborahliles@my.unt.edu

As the Grand Opening of a new arena rapidly approaches, there may be a need to draw a distinction between Dickie's Arena and the Historic Will Rogers Memorial Center.  The two venues will work in tandem, but there will be opportunities for the WRMC's Arena (WRA) and the Theater (WRT) to function separately.

 

I hope that it will be seen as a good idea now to discuss the two venues in separate threads.

 

For example, WRA as a the home of a minor league sport team -

 

I wonder if the original Colliseum's ice maker still works. I think Dickies is too big for a hockey team tbh. But I think if we got a team from a legitimate, stay league (like the ECHL, Allen has a team) it would be a perfect fit in the old building. And not face as many interruptions from other events like the Stock Show and whatever else Dickies has planned.

I am sure the 1936 facility will be called the Will Rogers Coliseum and the new 2019 facility will be called the Dickies Arena.  These are two distinctly separate names that are not similar.

I am sure the 1936 facility will be called the Will Rogers Coliseum and the new 2019 facility will be called the Dickies Arena.  These are two distinctly separate names that are not similar.

 

 I agree with that distinction; and is not in dispute.  However, it sometimes happen that threads become the catch all file for discussions that can be better address when they are not mixed.

 

Going forward and for the sake of discussion about WRMC, maybe it can be separated from the discussion about Dickie's Arena, it will make it easier to follow matters pertaining to them that are not associated with the other.

 

For instance, I searched the Forum for a thread specifically for Dickie's Arena and found that there is not one. DA is discussed as the New Will Rogers Arena.

I can change the name of the thread.  The reason that it was titled "New Will Rogers Arena" was because the thread was started when the idea of the project was first brought to the public's eye.  At that time, the building did not have a formal name.  That thread was started in 2005.

If you agree that having the thread that bears the name of Dickie's Arena where future discussions surrounding the new arena can be deposited, then I encourage you to do so in hope it will simplify things all around.

 

I am looking forward to reading and posting comments on WRMC in its own thread so that it can remain a focus of our discussions and keep it a viable part of the City dissimilar to the fate of Dallas' Fair Park Coliseum.

The Fort Worth City Council voted on Tuesday night to spend $8.5 Million on renovating the Will Rogers Coliseum. 

 

https://www.star-tel...e272518541.html

Would love to see the same done for the Auditorium down the line

Ive noticed there are a lot more events (concerts, specifically) being held in the auditorium. I think they are getting booked through the same team that does Dickies, but not sure. Anyway, I love to see this because A. The venue is pretty awesome and historic and B. Its a good size venue that is bringing shoes too small for Dickies but too big for places like Tulips.

You can see some here: https://dickiesarena.com/events/

I have always thought that the Auditorium was underused.  This is good news.

That is awesome.  I have seen 2 concerts there in my lifetime and they were both awesome shows because they were so intimate