Knoxville Civic Auditorium

What Knoxville Civic Auditorium does

The Knoxville Civic Auditorium & Coliseum (KCAC) is a municipal multi-venue entertainment complex located at 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, owned by the City of Knoxville and professionally managed by Legends Global. Opened in 1961, the complex comprises two primary indoor venues — a 6,500-capacity Coliseum (5,500 for ice events) and a 2,500-capacity Auditorium — supplemented by a 10,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 10,000-capacity outdoor performance lawn, and three parking garages with 2,500 spaces including six EV charging stations and two solar arrays.

The venue generates revenue across four principal streams: ticket sales (consumed through Ticketmaster and AXS ticketing, plus a physical box office open Thursday–Friday), facility rental and turnkey event services (lighting, sound, decor, F&B, marketing), parking services ($15/event, $25 UT football park-and-ride, monthly commuter passes), and naming rights/sponsorship arrangements. Its digital infrastructure is built on the Saffire website/event platform with Ticketmaster and AXS ticketing integration, plus Google Maps and Google/Outlook calendar embeds for visitor convenience.

KCAC serves a horizontally diversified customer base spanning the general public attending concerts, comedy, family shows, theater, and community events; promoter/booking-agent clients procuring turnkey event services; recurring institutional tenants such as the Knoxville Ice Bears (home SPHL hockey franchise, four-time champions) and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (Pops Series and special concerts); and parking customers including downtown workers and University of Tennessee football patrons. The facility draws over 250,000 visitors annually.

Name

Knoxville Civic Auditorium

Legal name

Knoxville Civic Auditorium & Coliseum

Website

https://knoxvillecoliseum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Knoxville Civic Auditorium & Coliseum is a City of Knoxville-owned multi-venue entertainment complex in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, featuring a 6,500-seat Coliseum and 2,500-seat Auditorium, professionally managed by Legends Global and hosting 250,000+ annual visitors across concerts, hockey, theater, family shows, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Venue and Event Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arena & Stadium Operations (Large-Capacity Venues) (MPAGALAA), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers (MPAKAEAB), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Sports & Arena Event Venues (Stadiums, Arenas) (THAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Live event venue
• Concert arena
• Event ticketing services
• Venue management services
• Arena parking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The venue generates primary revenue through ticket sales for concerts, sports events, comedy shows, family performances, and community events. Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster, AXS Ticketing, and the physical box office. Service charges apply to online purchases.
2. Parking Services: Revenue from event parking ($15 per vehicle), UT football game day park-and-ride service ($25 flat rate including shuttle), and monthly parking passes for downtown workers.
3. Facility Rental and Event Services: Turnkey customizable event booking including venue rental, ticketing services, in-house lighting and sound designers, decorators, food and beverage options, and venue marketing services.
4. Naming Rights and Sponsorships: The facility operates with naming rights and sponsorship arrangements, evidenced by the 'Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum' branding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Knoxville Civic Auditorium & Coliseum operates a multi-venue entertainment complex in downtown Knoxville, offering a 6,500-capacity Coliseum, a 2,500-capacity Auditorium, a 10,000-square-foot exhibit hall, and a 10,000-capacity outdoor performance lawn. It hosts concerts, sports events (including home games of the Knoxville Ice Bears hockey team), comedy, theater, family shows, and community events, with tickets sold through Ticketmaster, AXS, and an on-site box office. The venue also provides turnkey event services (lighting, sound, decorating, catering, marketing) to promoters, plus on-site parking across three garages with 2,500 spaces.

Product overview

The Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum is a multi-venue entertainment complex comprising two main facilities: the 6,500-capacity Coliseum (an arena for concerts, sporting events, and ice shows) and the 2,500-capacity Auditorium (a concert hall for theatrical performances and symphonies). Supporting facilities include a 10,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 10,000-capacity outdoor performance lawn, and three parking garages with 2,500 spaces. The venue hosts the Knoxville Ice Bears professional hockey team, offers turnkey event services (ticketing, lighting, sound, catering, marketing) to promoters, and draws over 250,000 visitors annually. Ticketing is primarily handled through Ticketmaster and AXS platforms via the Saffire-powered website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Knoxville Civic Coliseum A 6,500-capacity arena venue with 22,000 square feet of exhibit space, hosting concerts, sporting events, ice shows, wrestling, and family entertainment. Includes ice chiller for hockey, a 106x198-foot arena floor, center-hung scoreboard, customizable lighting and sound, and a 62x54-foot stage with wings. Available for rental to promoters and touring productions.
• Knoxville Civic Auditorium A 2,500-capacity concert hall venue with floor seating (1,344 seats), first balcony (538 seats), second balcony (476 seats), and an orchestra section (96 seats). Features a 27x57-foot proscenium and hosts theatrical performances, symphonies, dance recitals, and concerts. Available for rental to performing arts organizations and promoters.
• Exhibit Hall A 10,000-square-foot exhibit hall space available for trade shows, conventions, community gatherings, and large indoor events.
• Performance Lawn Outdoor performance venue with capacity for 10,000 attendees, available for concerts, festivals, and large outdoor events.
• Parking Facilities Three on-site parking garages providing 2,500 dedicated parking spaces. Offers event parking at $15 per vehicle, UT football game-day park-and-ride at a $25 flat rate (including shuttle), and monthly parking passes for downtown workers. Includes six EV charging stations and two solar arrays.
• Turnkey Event Services Customizable event booking services for promoters and producers, including venue rental, ticketing services, in-house lighting and sound designers, decorators, food and beverage options, and venue marketing services.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Legends GlobalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional venue management by Legends Global, described as internationally renowned. Legends provides operational expertise and management services for the venue.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing platform partner for online ticket sales. Handles most event ticket distribution with service charges.
• AXSminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecondary ticketing platform used for select events. Used for events like Gavin Adcock where tickets are only available online through AXS.
• SaffirecoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite platform provider powering knoxvillecoliseum.com. Provides ticketing integration, event management, and website infrastructure.
• Knoxville Ice BearscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome tenant - four-time SPHL champions. The hockey team is a core anchor event at the Coliseum, hosting regular season games and playoff matches.
• Knoxville Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular performing arts partner at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium, hosting Pops Series and special orchestral concerts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Von Braun Center (Huntsville): Multi-venue civic complex in Huntsville, AL combining arena, concert hall, and exhibit halls — directly comparable in scope and regional market tier.
• ExploreAsheville Arena (Asheville Civic Center): Multi-purpose civic arena in Asheville, NC with similar capacity (~7,600) — directly comparable in scale, municipal ownership, and event mix.
• DPAC (Durham Performing Arts Center): 2,700-seat performing arts center — comparable to the KCAC Auditorium for Broadway, comedy, and family programming in a regional mid-market.
• Tennessee Theatre: Historic 1,600-seat theater in downtown Knoxville — competes for theater productions, comedy, and mid-tier concerts within the same local market.
• Tivoli Theatre (Chattanooga): Historic performing arts theater hosting Broadway tours and concerts — comparable to the Knoxville Civic Auditorium's theater programming.
• Thompson-Boling Arena: 21,000-capacity University of Tennessee arena in Knoxville — directly competes for concerts, family shows, and large-scale touring acts in the same Knoxville market.
• Memorial Auditorium (Chattanooga): Mid-sized civic auditorium and arena complex in Chattanooga — comparable in scale, civic ownership model, and event programming mix to the KCAC.

Broad incumbents

• Bridgestone Arena: 17,000-capacity NHL arena in Nashville — a broader incumbent that competes for major tours and events but at a substantially larger scale and higher profile.
• Ryman Auditorium: Iconic 2,300-seat Nashville concert hall — a larger, more established regional incumbent that competes for the same touring acts but with national brand cachet.

Others

• ASM Global / Legends Global: International venue management company that operates the KCAC and a portfolio of comparable arenas — a key operational partner and ecosystem player across the peer set.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/theKCAC
• Instagraminstagram.com/thekcac
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knoxville-civic-auditorium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Knoxville Civic Auditorium