DECC Posts

Heart at the Duluth Arena in 1980?

I’ve searched high and low, but I cannot seem to locate any information about the Heart concert on March 5, 1980 at the Duluth Arena.

I was there with five friends but can’t seem to locate anything about it.

Duluth Mail Bag: Lower Taxes, Viewsheds and Roundabouts

Hobbs Mail BagAs a two-time Duluth city councilor, now in my final year of service, one of my goals is to make city government more accessible, or at least help citizens become more informed. I figure there are many Duluthians who would like some simple answers to some simple questions. I learned in school that if there is something you don’t understand it’s likely there are many others who feel the same way. Hence the idea of the Duluth Mailbag column.

I won’t divulge who is asking the questions, but I’ll answer them in this format about once a month. Feel free to put a question in the comments for next month’s “Duluth Mailbag” or tweet me via @Hobbs_Duluth or email me at hobbsforduluth @ gmail.com.

Also, if you want to have a longer conversation, you can sign up for a 45-minute cup of coffee through my 100 Cups of Coffee project.

OK, here we go!

Video Archive: Duluth cineplex announced in 2003

It was 20 years ago that Duluth Entertainment Convention Center officials announced plans to build an eight-screen movie theater next to the DECC’s Omnimax theater. Within a few weeks the plan expanded to 10 screens and had the name Canal Park 10. When it opened on Dec. 22, 2004, it bore the name Duluth 10 and was operated by Cinema Entertainment Corp.

UMD Bulldog Hockey: Amsoil Arena Fly-through

Take a tour of Amsoil Arena, home of UMD Bulldogs hockey, via drone footage by Ethan Schultz of ShotxSchultz.

Def Leppard at the DECC Arena in 1999

In 1999 I was living in Minneapolis, listening to the Legendary Pink Dots. In Duluth, Def Leppard was playing. The audio is available on the Internet Archive.

Video Archive: Styx in Duluth, 2002

Twenty years later and they’re still going strong.

Postcards from the Duluth Arena-Auditorium

Included in this post are four postcards, all published by Gallagher’s Studio of Photography, showing the early days of what is now known as the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. Numerous buildings have been added to the DECC campus over the years, but these postcards show only the original two, then known as the Duluth Arena and Duluth Auditorium.

DECC COVID-19 testing tips

In the midst of the Omicron-variant surge the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center has published an “Insider’s Guide to COVID Testing.” Best walk-in hours? From 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Parking? Free in the DECC lot if you tell the attendant that’s what you’re there for.

Hartman tapped for DECC director job

After a national search, the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center announced today that Dan Hartman will serve as its next executive director. Hartman has been director of Glensheen Mansion since 2013 and prior to that was curator at Veterans Memorial Hall. He also served on Duluth’s city council from 2010 to 2014.

As a senior at the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2006, Hartman led the student campaign to build the DECC’s Amsoil Arena. He follows interim executive director Roger Reinert, who has headed the DECC since August. Hartman will start in his new role at the DECC on June 14.

Postcard from the Duluth Auditorium

The Duluth Auditorium — now known as the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center‘s Symphony Hall — opened in 1966. It has hosted an extensive variety of musicians, comedians, theatrical companies and other entertainers over the years and is the home stage of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra and Minnesota Ballet. Seating capacity is 2,221.

Mystery Photo #84: Building near Duluth Arena

Sitting awkwardly between the Duluth Arena and the Radisson Hotel in this photo by Perry Gallagher is a seven-story building that can’t be far from demolition. What was it?

Foreigner with the Dave Eggar Orchestra and Denfeld Maroon 16 Choir – “I Want to Know What Love Is”

Denfeld High School’s Maroon 16 choir sings “I Want to Know What Love Is” with Foreigner at Symphony Hall in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.

Video Archive: Honky Tonk Man and Butch Reed cut wrestling promos for 1987 Duluth show

The World Wrestling Federation — now known as World Wrestling Entertainment — brought four cards to the Duluth Arena in 1987. The fourth happened 30 years ago today — Dec. 27.

Video Archive: Damn Yankees 1992 Concert Promo

Television advertisement for a concert at the Duluth Arena held 25 years ago today — Dec. 9, 1992 — featuring Damn Yankees, Slaughter and Jackyl.

Tommy Shaw, formerly of Damn Yankees, will return to Duluth on March 13 for a concert with Styx.

Video Archive: Metallica 1991 Duluth Show

Nov. 9, 1991: Metallica returned to Duluth for its second concert at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Arena. Above is the TV promo for the show, which mistakenly refers to the DECC as “the DECK.” Below are performance videos of five songs from the show — “Enter Sandman,” “Harvester of Sorrow,” “The Four Horsemen,” “Whiplash” and “Master of Puppets.”