Classic NHL Arenas: Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh

For years, Mellon Arena was known as both the 'Igloo' due to it's shape as well as the Civic Arena. The nickname 'Igloo' was very fitting being that it was the home to the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins from 1967 to 2010. In fact, the arena received the nickname before the franchise's mascot had been named. The Igloo was unlike many other NHL arenas in that it's roof was able to retract.  The roof meant that there were no obstructed views in the arena.
The Penguins were actually not the first hockey team to play in the arena; the Pittsburgh Hornets were. The Penguins both opened and closed the arena with losses to the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs, as the Canadiens are called, eliminated the Penguins from the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2010. During that year, Mellon arena was the third smallest NHL arena. Although it was eligible to become a member of the National Register of Historic Places. Allegheny County, however, voted to demolish the arena because they want to develop the area around the arena.
Unlike most NHL arenas, parking in the surrounding areas of Mellon arena was very simple. There is a light rail train station nearby. There were also parking garages offering parking for around $10 as well as free meters on nights and weekends.
When Mario Lemieux took control of the Penguins in 1999, he used the idea of the Penguins relocating to another city as leverage to get a new NHL arena constructed. Upon construction of the Consol Energy Center, the city of Pittsburgh and the Penguins are hoping for new development to come to the area. Such developments would include new hotels, restaurants and offices to compliment the area. The area would be much like the Arena District in downtown Columbus, where Nationwide Arena sits as the center piece. (Home of the Blue Jackets).
The Igloo saw three Stanley Cups during it's days as home of the Penguins. Let's hope that the new arena will be as fortunate.

NHL Arenas