The Dort Financial Center[2] (originally IMA Sports Arena[3] and formerly Perani Arena and Event Center[4]) is a sports, entertainment and convention venue located in Flint, Michigan, United States. It opened in 1969 and is the home of the Flint Firebirds who play in the Ontario Hockey League.
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  Dort Financial Center Location within Michigan  Dort Financial Center Location within the United States | |
| Former names | IMA Sports Arena (1969–2003) Perani Arena (2003–15) |
|---|---|
| Address | 3501 Lapeer Rd Flint, MI 48503-4500 |
| Owner | IMS Hockey Corp. |
| Operator | IMS Hockey Management, LLC |
| Capacity | 4,421 Concerts
Sports
Other
|
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1967 |
| Opened | October 1969 |
| Construction cost | $10 million ($91.4 million in 2023 dollars[1]) |
| Tenants | |
| Flint Generals (IHL) (1969–85) Flint Spirits (IHL) (1985–90) Flint Bulldogs (CoHL) (1991–93) Flint Generals (CoHL/UHL/IHL) (1993–2010) Flint Flames (IFL) (2000) Flint Fuze (CBA) (2001–02) Flint Phantoms (CIFL) (2008) Michigan Warriors (NAHL) (2010–15) Flint Firebirds (OHL) (2015–present) Waza Flo (MASL) (2015–16) Flint Monarchs (GWBA) (2016–present) Flint United (TBL) (2021–present) | |
Facilities
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The main arena of the complex, the largest exhibit hall of complex, features 29,280 square feet (2,720 m2) of space and can accommodate 4,021 for ice hockey and 6,069 for concerts, plus 400 in standing room. The second arena in the complex features 27,206 square feet (2,527.5 m2) of space. Both arenas are frequently used for trade shows, conventions, hockey games and other sports. In addition, the main arena is used for concerts.
Initially named the IMA, an acronym for the Industrial Mutual Association. Being the second such complex in Flint, MI called the IMA, The IMA Auditorium was turned into part of the AutoWorld complex.
The complex was named for Bob Perani, owner of Perani's Hockey World, a sports equipment retailer in Flint. Perani's Hockey World paid for naming rights to the complex. Bob Perani was a goalie for the Flint Generals from 1969 to 1974. His jersey, #1, is one of only five numbers retired by the team.
In 2020, the Dort Financial Center underwent renovations and updating. Renovations included updated seating in the main arena, as well as LED ribbon panels that would encircle the entire arena. The updated black leather seats, as well as the LED panels, were both acquired from The Palace of Auburn Hills before it was demolished. The renovations gave the arena a uniform seating appearance, while the LED panels are capable of displaying advertisements and sports scoreboards simultaneously. [5]
Tenants
editCurrent
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On January 13, 2015, the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League announced they would relocate to Flint and play at Dort Federal Event Center, with OHL approval.[6][7] That team is now known as the Flint Firebirds.[8]
Former
editPrevious tenants of the arena include the Flint Generals IHL hockey team from 1969 to 1985, the Flint Spirits hockey team from 1985 to 1990, the Flint Bulldogs hockey team from 1991 to 1993, the Flint Fuze basketball team from 2001 to 2002 and the Flint Flames indoor football team which only lasted the 2000 season. The most recent iteration of the Flint Generals moved into the arena in 1993 and departed in 2010. From 2010 through 2015, the arena was the home of the Michigan Warriors of the North American Hockey League. From 2015 to 2016, the arena was also home to Waza Flo of the Major Arena Soccer League.
The Michigan Pirates of the Continental Indoor Football League (formerly based in Port Huron) played their first and second-round playoff games at the Perani Arena, hoping Flint would be a potential relocation site. After the Pirates folded, Perani Arena was home to the CIFL expansion team Flint Phantoms for the 2008 season.[9]
Events
editLocal high schools and colleges use the arena for their commencement ceremonies. Dort Financial Center is also usually the first stop for the Shrine Circus every year. The arena also holds the General RV Show every year.
The arena has also annually hosted Really Cool Comic Con since 2021.
References
edit- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ Pope, Brandon (July 16, 2015). "IMS Hockey unveils Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center". Flint Township View. Archived from the original on November 29, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
- ^ Dresden, Eric (January 20, 2019). "A timeline of Perani Arena's history in Flint and teams that have called it home". MLive Media Group. Advance Publications, Inc. Archived from the original on November 29, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
- ^ "Perani Arena gets new name". WJRT-TV. Gray Television. July 9, 2015. Archived from the original on November 29, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
- ^ "Flint's Dort Financial Center undergoing $2-million renovation". 9 December 2020.
- ^ "Report: Plymouth Whalers to announce move to Flint". Detroit Free Press. January 13, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ Bartkowiak, Dave (January 14, 2015). "Plymouth Whalers to relocate to Flint". Click On Detroit. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ McMann, Aaron (March 16, 2015). "'Flint Firebirds' unveiled as name for Flint's new OHL team". The Flint Journal. Retrieved March 16, 2015 – via MLive.com.
- ^ "Flint Phantoms Professional Indoor Football". Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2007-12-19.