Originally completed in 1958, it consists of four main components: the Coliseum, the Theater, the Auditorium, and the Convention Center (also referred to as the Grand Hall).

The most significant renovation and expansion began when city voters approved a $10 million general obligation bond sale in 1976 to erect a 13,000-seat coliseum, a two-story lobby that connected the new coliseum with the original arena and theater, and remodel the original arena into a convention center.

As part of a 10-year sponsorship deal with the organization, the Charleston Civic Center's new basketball court (which debuted in the 2011-12 season) is branded with a large logo for Friends of Coal, a locally based political advocacy group.

[citation needed] It hosts the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals of the annual, West Virginia State High School Boys and Girls Basketball Tournaments, music concerts, professional wrestling, and hosted basketball games between in-state rivals West Virginia University and Marshall University until that series ended in 2016.

Recently the Coliseum started hosting more concerts in the area bringing icons such as Judas Priest, Jelly Roll, Motionless In White and Heart to the city.