Since opening in September 2013, the Cross Insurance Center has been the host of historic sporting events, unforgettable concerts, and incredible moments.
Here are just some of the “fun facts” we have been able to pull about the Cross Insurance Center as we continue to write the venue’s history.
ROCK ‘N ROLL HALL OF FAMERS
The Cross Insurance Center has played host to numerous Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Famers, including Elton John, Ringo Starr, Alice Cooper, James Taylor, and Brian Wilson among others.
UFC HISTORY MADE
The first ever Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Maine was held at the Cross Insurance Center on August 16, 2014. The show was headlined by Ryan Bader beating Ovince Saint Preux by Unanimous Decision. The show was aired live on Fox Sports 1.
MAINE MIXED MARTIAL ARTS HISTORY
The Grand Ballroom was the host of New England Fights: Looking for a Fight mixed martial arts event, which featured a taping of UFC President Dana White’s YouTube show. Mainer Devin Powell received a UFC contract at the event.
FIRST MAJOR TICKETED EVENT
Did you know that the Cross Insurance Center opened on September 10, 2013 and the first major ticketed arena event was the Harlem Globetrotters? It’s true! The Globies have returned frequently to the arena since.
AMERICA EAST BASKETBALL SUCCESS
The UMaine women’s basketball team has been one of the most successful programs in the America East since playing home games at the Cross Insurance Center. The Black Bears have had a 42-8 record at the CIC since the 2016-17 season, winning two America East titles during that time, both televised on ESPNU. The program holds the second highest home game average attendance for collegiate women’s basketball in New England, only behind UConn. They are averaging at least 10 wins per year at the Cross Insurance Center in the past four seasons.
WEDDING DESTINATION
The Cross Insurance Center has hosted three wedding ceremonies, including two that took place in 2019.
LEGEND OF PAUL BUNYAN
The Paul Bunyan statue, which resides outside the Cross Insurance Center, was designed by local artist J Norman Martin and donated to Bangor on February 12, 1959 – which would have been Paul’s 125th Birthday.
The statue of Paul Bunyan outside of the Cross Insurance Center is the largest in the world, standing at 31 feet tall and weighing 3,700 pounds – without his ax and peavey.
THOUSANDS OF TOTAL EVENTS
Since the Cross Insurance Center opened in 2013 through June 2019, the building has hosted over 1,350 events in the Convention Center and Arena combined.
DRAWING LARGE CROWDS
Between the Bangor State Fair and the Northern Maine High School Basketball Tournament, the Cross Insurance welcomes over 78.000 guests annually for the two events.
CELEBRATING PROFESSIONAL SPORTS SUCCESS
The Cross Insurance Center has been the host of visiting championship awards since 2013, including the Lombardi and World Series trophies.
COUNTRY SUPERSTARS
Country music performances have been a big part of the history of the Cross Insurance Center, including Luke Combs, Brad Paisley, and Chris Young, who are all current members of the Grand Old Opry.
FALL TRADITIONS
The Cross Insurance Center is the home of Maine Harvest Festival, one of the largest craft and agricultural festivals in the state of Maine. The Maine Harvest Festival will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2020.
COMEDY LEGENDS
Among the comedic performances at the Cross Insurance Center include big names such as Steve Martin, Martin Short, Jeff Dunham, Ron White, and Jim Gaffigan among others since the building opened in 2013.
MAINE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME
The Cross Insurance Center is the home of the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame, which boasts more than 15 exhibit display cases. The venue is also the host of the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony each Summer.
LARGEST PLATED DINNER IN MAINE
The Cross Insurance Center has been the host site of the state of Maine’s largest plated dinner, serving more than 1,000 attendees at the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce Dinner.
POLITICAL STUMPING
In the short history of the Cross Insurance Center, the venue has been a big rally spot for politics. During the 2016 U.S. Presidential Race, Donald Trump held a rally in the arena, while Senator Bernie Sanders held a rally for Hillary Clinton’s campaign in the Convention Center.
PRIME PARKING
There are a total of 1,107 parking spots in the three lots surrounding the Cross Insurance Center. Lot C is the largest with 750 spaces in total.