Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
The Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is a exhibition center, in Rapid City, South Dakota. It contains two multi-purpose arenas, a Fine Arts Theatre, two large convention/exhibit halls, and numerous other meeting rooms all under one roof. The grand opening event was a concert by Elvis Presley on June 21, 1977. That concert was filmed for a CBS television special that aired in October. The concert was during the singer's final tour before his death on August 16, 1977.
The Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is the main event center for the Black Hills Region, serving Western South Dakota, South West North Dakota, North West Nebraska, and Eastern Wyoming. It is home to many large annual events, including the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo, Lakota Nation Invitational, the Black Hills Homebuilders Expo, South Dakota High School Activities Association Tournaments and the Rapid City Rush ice hockey team of the ECHL. The Rapid City Thrillers semi-professional basketball team also formerly played games at the Civic Center.
Venue Capacities:
Don Barnett Arena, part of the original structure can seat approximately 6,750 for end stage, 180 degree events or 4,000 in a half house set up.
Fine Arts Theatre, part of the original structure, that was remodeled in 2009 and seats 1,690.
Ice Arena, completed in 2008 can seat 5,157 for Hockey, and approximately 7,500 for end stage events.
