DCU Center Time Capsule

DCU Center Time Capsule

  • September 2, 1982

    Arena opens as the Centrum in Worcester with the legendary Frank Sinatra.

  • February 10-12, 1983

    Neil Diamond’s February concerts were the first of his record-setting 21 performances at the DCU Center.

  • June 28, 1983

    U2’s First Arena Show in US

  • August 13-24, 1987

    The band, Boston’s 9 shows becomes facility record for Highest Attended Multi-Day Event (104,209)

  • December 1989

    • Arena Seating Expansion & Facade Upgrade Unveiled
    • 1989 Debut of New England Blazers, Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL) 
    • 1989 Debut of Worcester Counts, World Basketball League (WBL)

  • February 1994

    • 10 Millionth person attends an event at DCU Center (Monster Trucks)
    • 1994 Debut of Massachusetts Marauders, Arena Football League (AFL)

  • October 1994

    Debut of Worcester IceCats (American Hockey League) 

  • September 1997

    • Convention Center Opens
    • An Adidas television commercial filmed at the facility in 1997

  • December 9, 1999

    Worcester’s 6 Fire Fighter's Memorial Service

  • June 2001

    Arena Seating Replacement Project Completed

  • October 2004

    The City-owned Arena & Convention Center enters a naming rights agreement with DCU- Digital Federal Credit Union, officially changing the facility’s name from Worcester Centrum Centre to the DCU Center

  • October 2006

    • Facility installs innovative curtaining system allowing flexible seating capacities from 5,000-14,000
    • Debut of the Worcester Sharks (AHL) 
    • DCU Center was ranked as the #7 highest grossing arena in the United States by Billboard Magazine and ranked #44 for number of tickets sold by arenas in the US by Pollstar Magazine

  • January 2007

    • Nobel Prize Gala honoring Craig C. Mello, PhD
    • Debut of the New England Surge (CIFL)

  • December 2009

    SAVOR…Catering by SMG caters a record-breaking breakfast for 5,000 people (10,240 eggs, 14,000 slices of bacon and 300 gallons of coffee was prepared)

  • October 2013

    31.5M Renovation Complete with record-breaking revenue for the month of October

  • March 2012

    • DCU Center breaks record for most NCAA hockey tournament games by any arena
    • The DCU Center basketball court was featured in an AT&T commercial in 2012 for March Madness/NCAA Basketball

  • June 2014

    President Barack Obama delivers Commencement Speech to Worcester Technical High School Graduating Class of 2014.

  • August 2015

    Worcester Wares Opens

  • December 2015

    Figs & Pigs Kitchen + Pantry Opens

  • October 2017

    Worcester Railers HC play inaugural game in front of sellout crowd

  • September 2012

    Arena celebrates 30 year anniversary while the Convention Center celebrates 15 year anniversary

  • November 2017

    DCU Center announces the return of Arena Football with the Massachusetts Pirates