From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Idaho Center is a complex of entertainment venues in Nampa, Idaho, near Boise.

Venues include a 10,500-seat amphitheater which was built in 1998 and features a 60-by-40-foot stage; a 12,279-seat arena featuring 31,200 square feet of arena floor space; the Idaho Horse Park, used for horse shows; and the Sports Center, used for track and field events including the home meets of the Boise State University Broncos track teams.

The Idaho Center arena is best known for hosting the Snake River Stampede Rodeo during the third week of July every year. The Snake River Stampede is considered one of the nation's top rodeos.

The arena is the former home of the Idaho Stampede of the Continental Basketball Association and the Idaho Stallions of the now defunct Indoor Professional Football League and is used for concerts; trade shows, sporting events, and other events.

The Idaho Center arena is the former home of the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament. Upon its completion, the tournament moved to the Idaho Center in 1998 from its former home on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University (then known as Northwest Nazarene College). The tournament left town in 2000 when NNC became a University and left the NAIA to become an NCAA Division II School.

In March 2003, the Idaho Center arena played home for the Boise State University men's basketball second round matchup in the NIT against the UWM Panthers. The game was moved to the Idaho Center due to a prior scheduled Metallica concert at Boise State's Taco Bell Arena. The game drew a crowd of more than 10,000, making it the largest crowd to see a basketball game in the arena's history.

In Nampa, the historic downtown was neglected for new and bigger stores on the outskirts of town and the North Nampa residential area became a place for lower income residents. The homes became neglected and crime rose in the area. To help combat this effect, the Nampa City Council created the North Nampa Urban Renewal Agency in 1994. As part of their urban renewal plan, the North Nampa Urban Renewal Agency gave interest-free loans to property owners to repair or replace their homes (improve their property).

NNURA members thought the idea of a convention center would invigorate the stagnant North Nampa. Property was purchased several miles from the targeted area to be improved and the Idaho Center was born. In spite of the NNURA's continued funding of the Idaho Center, the facility lost money from 1996 to 2004. The NNURA contributed at least $9.6 million to the operation costs of the Idaho Center. In 2004, the North Nampa Urban Renewal Agency expired (after 10 years) and was not renewed by the Nampa City Council.

On November 14, 2006, the Idaho Center hosted the Rolling Stones, the first time the band had performed in Idaho.

• Idaho Center website
• North Nampa Residents Association
• Urban renewal agency requires specific plans