Owned by the City of Mobile and operated by ASM Global, the facility consisted of three venues: a theater, an expo hall, and an arena.

[7] The building's "entertainment profile increased significantly" during the 1970s, hosting dozens of popular acts, including Elvis Presley, Chicago, Led Zeppelin, The Jacksons, the Rolling Stones, KISS, and Fleetwood Mac.

[6] It did not earn revenue however, and it stopped regularly booking big-name acts in the mid-1980s following a fraud scandal.

[7] The fraud charges, plus competition from other Gulf Coast auditoriums (in Biloxi and Pensacola) and the city's open Convention Center caused the complex to go into a decline.

[7] On January 29, 2015, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson issued a statement announcing that the Civic Center will close in April 2016 for redevelopment.

[9] 11 months later, Stimpson delayed the closing by two years, needing more time to find a private partner interested in redevelopment.

The new venue will cost $300 million and feature a rectangular design, three levels with premium seating and suites, and a large balcony to overlook Mardi Gras parades.

The tallest building in the complex at seven stories tall, the Civic Center Arena (previously known as the Municipal Auditorium) featured a domed roof.

The Mobile Revelers played at the venue from 2001 to 2003 until the team folded citing low attendance.