Page "Coliseum at Richfield" Paragraph 2

The arena, which opened in 1974, replaced the then-decrepit Cleveland Arena, which had 12, 500 + boxing capacity, 10, 000 + otherwise.

The new arena seated about 20, 000 for basketball and 18, 500 for hockey, and was one of the first indoor arenas to contain luxury boxes.

Nick Mileti was the driving force behind the Coliseum's construction, believing that its location in northern Summit County south of Cleveland near the confluence of the Ohio Turnpike and Interstates 77 and 271 was ideally suited given the growth of urban sprawl.

The Coliseum was built in Richfield to draw fans from both of Northeast Ohio's major cities, as nearly 5 million Ohioans lived within less than an hour's drive ( in good weather ) from the Coliseum.

While the arena's location hindered attendance somewhat, nevertheless, the Cavaliers ' average attendance was over 18, 000 per game each of the last 2 seasons at the Coliseum.