The Cajundome, appropriately named because of the region of South Louisiana it sits on and because of its destinctive roof, opened its doors in November of 1985 as the arena of the future, and today, thirteen years later, still ranks as one of the best mid-size arenas in the country.
The Cajundome, built at a cost of $60 million, is a true multi-purpose facility as it can seat as many as 13,500 for concerts or as little as 4,500 for smaller, more intimate events. The Cajundome's unique roof is 148 feet in circumference, weighs 1,350 tons, and is acoustically treated with spray-on fiberglass. The main arena has more than 40,000 workable square feet, as well as possessing retractable seating in the lower part of the arena to provide more flexibility in staging larger exhibits and conventions.
The Cajundome also has numerous multi-fuction exhibit halls which can host everything from luncheons to trade shows. The arena also boasts eight specially appointed performer dressng rooms, four star rooms, two chorus dressing rooms, and two team locker rooms all within 30 feet of the staging area.
In addition, the Cajundome spent over $1 million on renovations and improvements prior to last season to propel the building into the 21st century. Among the improvements are additional lights to provide a brighter atmosphere during games, as well as, a new four sided video wall suspended beneath the existing matrix scoreboard to provide fans with instant replays of game action along with special video features. Along with the new scoreboard, the Cajundome added closed circuit television sets on the concourse to keep fans updated on game action should they be away from their seats. An additional 546 seats were added to the arena in the corners prior to last season which helped increase seating capacity for hockey games to 11, 700.
With construction set to begin soon on the Cajundome's new 65,000 square foot Convention Center, the Cajundome will continue to not only be the premier arena in the East Coast Hockey League but also one of the premier arenas in the United States. It will, without a doubt, continue to be a special place to play and one of the best places to visit.
