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The Dorton Arena, located on the NC State Fairgrounds, was built to serve agriculture, industry commerce and the general welfare of NC. Earning an international reputation since its construction in 1951, it has been acclaimed as the most significant buildings of late times. Its unique structure affords excellent visibility of the entire floor area from all seats. The innovative design was created by the late Matthew Nowicki while head of the Department of Architecture of NC State University. The building is 300 feet in diameter, elliptic in shape, with central concrete floor 224 feet long and 127 feet wide at the widest point of the ellipse. There are approximately 5,110 permanent seats in the building. The metal asbestos roof, suspended on a network of cables which extend crosswise from the 90 foot parabolic arches, is saddle shaped. The 14 foot wide arches reach a maximum of height of 90 feet. They cross each other at about 26 feet above the ground, then extend into a tunnel below the surface at the east and west ends. The weight of the roof is equalized by tension cables, with fourteen two inch strands connecting each end of the parabola through the stress tunnel. The roof, so suspended, eliminates any necessity for structural steel supports and presents no obstructions of view from any seat. The exterior walls are of gray smoked glass. Support services, such as staging, tables, electrical hookups, etc., are available. Renovated in 2002.

Attractions and Upcoming Events

City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department

The City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department has 19 community centers, 8 swimming pools, 108 tennis courts (including 23 at Millbrook Exchange Park), 61 softball fields (including 9 at Walnut Creek Softball Complex), 4 lakes and approximately 40 miles of greenway trails. Call 890-3285

Raleigh, NC Businesses

Lake Wheeler Metropolitan Park

A highly popular metropolitan lake park (650-acre lake and 150 acres of park with land buffer)

Raleigh, NC Lakes




Things to do near Raleigh, NC

Duke Homestead State Historic Site and Tobacco Museum

National Historic landmark features Duke family's mid-1800s home, tobacco barns and original factory. Museum, film, tobacco p...

Montgomery Country Club

The golf course is nestled in the Uwharrie Mountains. The most beautiful time to play is the fall, when the leaves are changi...

Border Belt Farmer's Museum

Museum features the history of tobacco. Located off exit 10 from I-95. Continue east to Fairmont. Museum located in histori...

The Gallery Grill

Located inside the contemporary, European-styled Sheraton Chapel Hill, The Gallery Grill serves breakfast, lunch and dinner d...