The Santander Arena (formerly known as the Sovereign Center ) is a 7,160-seat multi-purpose arena, in Reading, Pennsylvania . It was built in 2001. The arena sits on the former site of the Astor Theater ; one of several grand movie and theater palaces built in Reading in the early 20th century. Closed in 1975, the theater sat vacant for over two decades. In 1998, the Astor was demolished to make room for the Santander Arena. Early in construction, steps were taken to retain mementos of the Astor, including its ornate Art Deco chandelier and gates. These are on display and in use inside the arena corridors, allowing insight into the ambience of the former movie house.
7-687: The Santander Arena is owned by the Berks County Convention Center Authority and managed by ASM Global . In 2000, the Rajah Shrine Theater was purchased, and after a thorough restoration and updating of the facilities was renamed the Sovereign Performing Arts Center. The Reading Eagle Theater is part of the complex. On October 13, 2013, the building's name was changed from Sovereign Center to Santander Arena. The arena
14-560: A multipurpose room which measures 4,575 square feet (425.0 m) and accommodate functions for up to 200 guests. With the exception of the suites, all seats are standard chairbacks and there is a center-hung videoboard which also functions as a scoreboard for hockey and other sporting events. The seating bowl is surrounded by a concourse which features generic concessions as well as local vendors such as Pennsylvania-based Chickie's & Pete's . Santander Performing Arts Center The Santander Performing Arts Center (formerly known as
21-996: Is home to the Reading Royals ice hockey team in the ECHL as well as the Alvernia University Golden Wolves ice hockey team of the NCAA DIII. It was formerly home to the Reading Railers basketball team, the New York Majesty Lingerie Football League team, the Reading Rockets box lacrosse team, and the Reading Express indoor football team. The arena has hosted Jehovah's Witnesses District Conventions from 2005 to 2013 and
28-679: The Rajah Theatre or Rajah Temple , and Sovereign Performing Arts Center ) is a historic theatre in Reading, Pennsylvania , United States. It is the current home of the Reading Symphony Orchestra and the "Broadway on 6th St" annual series of musicals and plays. Built in 1922 under the name The Rajah Temple , it was second structure owned by the Shriners that operated as a dual purpose public theatre and temple for
35-730: The masons in the city of Reading and the third building to be known as the Rajah Temple. The first Rajah Temple was originally the St. Matthew Lutheran Church property at Pearl and Franklin Streets, which was purchased by the Shriners in 1892. In 1917 the Shriners purchased the Academy of Music, a theatre in Reading, and relocated their temple to that location where it continued to operate as
42-405: The Rajah Temple and Rajah Theatre for public performances and freemason events. That structure was destroyed by fire on May 21, 1921. In November 1922 construction began on the current theatre. It operated as a performance arts venue for vaudeville , operas, concerts, plays, and a movie theatre at various times during the 20th century. In 2000 the Berks County Convention Center Authority oversaw
49-577: The renamed Regional Conventions of Jehovah's Witnesses from 2015 to 2019, then again in 2023. The arena contains 701 club seats and 20 luxury suites. The arena offers 25,200 square feet (2,340 m) of banquet space on the arena floor. With seating for up to 1,200 guests, the Santander Arena can accommodate large functions as well as smaller ones using the Reading Eagle Theater at the Santander Arena setup. The arena also offers
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