The team had previously played in the historic Palestra, a building that had moved from Laurium, Michigan in 1921 and was torn down shortly after Lakeview opened.

From 1976 to 1999, it was the home of Northern Michigan University's hockey program, and it was there, during the 1990–91 season, that the Wildcats posted a perfect home record on their way to the 1991 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

It became home to the newly revived Marquette Iron Rangers in the Great Lakes Hockey League's 2015-16 season.

Also, the AWA had two wrestling events there, one on October 9, 1983 headlined by Hulk Hogan, and another on May 20, 1984.

The arena received $150,000 in upgrades, and hosted the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes on October 4, 2016 in a preseason NHL contest.