[Fading Advertisements] US Bank Arena

Aug 23

As a naming rights sponsor departs, the downtown Cincinnati indoor arena receives some new fading ads/ghost signs that complement its others.

On August 15, 2019, it was announced that US Bank would no longer be the naming rights sponsor of the indoor arena on Cincinnati's riverfront. Originally dubbed the "Riverfront Coliseum" when it opened in in 1975, a renovation brought the moniker of "The Crown" in 1997. The name and color scheme changed in 1999 when Firstar Bank purchased the building's naming rights and re-christened it the "Firstar Center." After Firstar acquired US Bank (and assumed US Bancorp's identity), the building's name was changed to "US Bank Arena" in 2002. It remained under that title until 2019. According to the Cincinnati Business Courier, the arena's management group is currently looking for a new naming right's sponsor.

As the signage came down on August 23, 2019, the remains of the illuminated signs left behind a collection of fading advertisements along the top of the building. They join a few other interesting ghost signs that can still be seen on the building's lower levels and were featured in my 2015 book, Fading Ads of Cincinnati.

- Beehive arrow, 2015.

The peeling signage and arrow seen above once directed guests to the club level elevator which whisked guests to "The Beehive," a high-end seating section thematically named for the former Cincinnati Stingers hockey club (the story of the Stingers is one of many mentioned in the book).

Meanwhile, the pillar seen below features faded directions to the ticket office.

- Ghost signs, 2015.

As of this post, it's not known what the arena will technically be called or if it will resume using its generic "coliseum" name (which is what many locals and highway signs still refer to it as anyways).

The arena has been chronicled here on QC/D in the past with stories about how it almost received an NHL team, Stanley Cup visits, its awesome zamboni driver, the tragedy that occurred there, and the circus' final visit to town.

The best event I've ever seen here was World Championship Wrestling's "Souled Out" Pay Per View in 2000. I was ten. It was amazing. nWo 4 life.