This week in 1975 The Summit opened for concerts and basketball Now known as Lakewood Church, it was where rockers and the Rockets played in Houston

PHOTOS: Lakewood Church's beginnings as a sports and rock venue

The Summit was major center for sports and entertainment events in the Houston area, opening in 1975.

See more images from the important events that happened under the venue's roof... less PHOTOS: Lakewood Church's beginnings as a sports and rock venue

The Summit was major center for sports and entertainment events in the Houston area, opening in 1975.

See more images from the important events that ... more Photo: File Photo Photo: File Photo Image 1 of / 83 Caption Close This week in 1975 The Summit opened for concerts and basketball 1 / 83 Back to Gallery

Before it housed one of the biggest megachurches in the United States, the building at 3700 Southwest Freeway was the home of landmark concerts and thrilling sporting events as the Summit and the Compaq Center.

The building now known as Lakewood Church’s central campus and sanctuary opened its doors 40 years ago this month with a price tag of $27 million.

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Mighty mod-rockers The Who did Houston the honor of throwing the first rock concert in the arena on Nov. 20, 1975. It’s known to Who fans as a document of one of the band’s headiest eras. Clips can be found on a band box-set and on YouTube.

The Summit, along with the Hofheinz Pavilion and the Sam Houston Coliseum, were the go-to venues for major rock shows in Houston from the late ‘70s until the early ‘90s.

A Queen bootleg from a 1977 date at the Summit is beloved by Queen fans. The band was in the midst of the “News of the World” tour at the time and in its live heyday.

The Summit's name was changed to the Compaq Center in 1998. It was the first Houston sports complex to sell its naming rights.

Besides concerts, circuses, and ice dancing, the building of course housed the Houston Rockets who brought two NBA Finals championship banners to the buildings.

The Houston Comets, the city's defunct WNBA team, also called the venue home alongside the Rockets until both moved to the new Toyota Center in downtown. Semi-pro hockey team the Houston Aeros also made the leap to downtown with the round ball squads.

RELATED: When KISS brought the thunder to The Summit in Houston in 1976

Most people don't remember the Houston Thunderbears (previously known as the Texas Terror) who brought Arena Football League action to the arena floor from 1996 until 2001. They were Houston's lone link to somewhat-professional football after the Houston Oilers left town and the Houston Texans were still in the offing.

The last rock show at the Compaq Center was on Nov. 22, 2003, with ZZ Top playing one of their famous hometown Thanksgiving shows, with Los Lobos and Cross Canadian Ragweed on hand for support.

On July 16, 2005, after $95 million in renovations and much political wrangling, Lakewood Church moved into its new 16,000-seat home at 3700 Southwest Freeway. A church home complete with miles of carpet, indoor waterfalls, and a coffee shop.

Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. He's an intolerable native Texan with too much ink in his skin and too much brisket stuck in his teeth.