It comprises 164 acres (0.66 km2) of greenspace and includes the 255,000-square-foot (23,700 m2) Exhibition Hall, the 10,000-seat Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the 29-acre (0.12 km2) Willow Island, several multi-use pavilions, and the 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m2) Arena.

The Alliant Energy Center campus is located on the south side of Madison, Wisconsin, off of John Nolen Drive and Rimrock Road.

As a major turning point towards the advent of a full-service venue, roads, parking lots, sewer and water, a heating plant and kitchen/bathroom facilities were built on the grounds in 1949–51.

[1] Its early clientele included the Zor Shrine Circus, World Dairy Expo, the Ice Capades, Dane County Junior Fair, The ABC National Bowling Tournament, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Tony Bennett, Duke Ellington, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Elvis Presley and the Grateful Dead.

[3][4] A multimillion-dollar naming rights deal for the facilities with New Holland Agriculture & Construction, along with other public/private funding partnerships with the State of Wisconsin, World Dairy Expo, the Midwest Horse Fair/Wisconsin Horse Council, and AEC food service provider, Centerplate, financed the expansion.

Reportedly, the "sieve chant," which is now commonly heard in nearly every arena to taunt the opposing goalie after a goal, was first started at the Coliseum.

The Wisconsin Badgers women's hockey team also played a number of games on the Coliseum ice in their first two seasons (1999-00 and 2000–01).

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) boys' and girls' state hockey tournaments also take place each year in Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Directly connected to Exhibition Hall by a climate-controlled walkway is Clarion Suites Madison - Central with 140 guest rooms.

[citation needed] Two three-dimensional statues, 'The Farmer's Market Cow' and 'Gallop to Glory Horse', that were painted by local artists to represent community connections and long-time events at the venue, are perched atop the entrance doors.

Geologic Time, created by artist Michele Oka Doner, consists of over 900 bronze medallions inlaid in the terrazzo floor of Exhibition Hall's lobby.

Elements of many eras, past and present are depicted, including Wisconsin corn, Native American effigy mounds, and the state's lake and rivers.

Some of the medallions represent the natural and cultural environment of Dane County and Wisconsin, such as fish, turtles, cattails, water lilies, and salamanders.

As an extension of Geologic Time, a podium displays the cast bronze form of Chief Black Hawk, which adorns the lobby of Exhibition Hall.

Starting in 2005, Willow Island became the new location for the annual Brat Fest fundraiser that takes place on Memorial Day weekend.

The Center implemented energy-saving measures in Exhibition Hall, which included energy-efficient lighting and upgrades to reduce gas emissions.