Architect Maciej Nowicki of the North Carolina State University Department of Architecture was killed in an airplane crash before the construction phase.

Said design features a steel cable supported saddle-shaped roof in tension, held up by parabolic concrete arches in compression.

The arches cross about 20 feet above ground level and continue underground, where their ends are held together by more steel cables in tension.

This led to a boom in lightweight constructions such as the Europe 1-Broadcasting House (1954) in Überherrn,[3] the auditorium Paul-Emile Janson (1956) in Bruxelles,[4] the Ingalls Rink (1958) in New Haven, the Športová hala Pasienky (1958) in Bratislava,[5] the Yoyogi National Gymnasium (1964) in Tokyo, the Ice Aréna (1965) in Prešov[6] and the Sporthal Beverwijk (1971) in Beverwijk.

[7] Most famous - albeit not in terms of the disfunctional foundations - is the Congress Hall (1957) in Berlin,[8] As a prominent symbol of the German-American alliance during the Cold War era and beyond it caused similar constructions in various parts of Germany.

Wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper defeated “Nature Boy” Ric Flair for the National Wrestling Alliance U.S. Heavyweight championship in Dorton Arena on Jan. 27, 1981.

The building was originally designed for livestock shows, and before popular music concerts began to be regularly hosted in arenas, so while there are unobstructed views of the stage, the sound tends to bounce off the glass.

Sam & Dave, Billy Stewart, James Carr, TV Mama, King Coleman and Al "TNT" Braggs and his orchestra