Requiem for the Cincinnati Gardens

Greg Waddell is standing outside the locker rooms at the Cincinnati Gardens, arms crossed. Waddell, director of public relations and marketing there, takes a nostalgic gaze into the rafters.

"They don't make them like this anymore."

Enter the arena and you are hit with the aroma of stale popcorn and turpentine. The dimly-lit hallways are reminiscent of an airport runway, guiding you to your destination.

The inside of the arena reveals itself as you amble through the tunnel. Compared to modern venues that are occupied with luxury boxes and premium seating, all fans who came through here were greeted with a proper view.

And the views that they saw.

The Cincinnati Gardens, now 66 years old, has been host to title bouts and wrestling spectacles. It's witnessed basketball's best and brightest. It's been rocked by the Beatles and the Stones, and served as home to sports royalty, as well as lesser lights like the Rollergirls.

In its nearly seven decades of operation, the Gardens maintains the aura as one of the region's entertainment gems.

But most nights now, it's vacant. The building is on the market.

"We're holding out hope that a miracle happens, but...," Waddell says, sighing.

The Garden does indeed flaunt a dazzling past. It's future may be nonexistent.

A grand opening

Recently, coliseum upkeep has been a citywide discussion. The matter gained attention this summer when Cincinnati had to withdraw its bid for the 2016 Republican National Convention due to the RNC's concerns with US Bank Arena's outdated facilities. The University of Cincinnati is dealing with similar issues, and will reportedly dedicate $70 million to give Fifth Third Arena an overhaul.

Lost in this noise has been the state of the Gardens.

Originally conceived as the "Cincinnati Winter Garden," the venue was built in response to the region's growing sports enthusiasm. Boasting a seating capacity of 11,000, the Gardens was the seventh largest indoor stadium in the country when it opened its doors in 1949.

"It was one of the greatest weeks in Cincinnati sports history," says John Perin, historian at the Cincinnati Gardens.

In its debut on Feb. 22, the Gardens welcomed a sellout crowd to an exhibition between the world-famous Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League and the minor-league Dallas Texans.

The occasion was so joyous that, according to the next day's account in The Cincinnati Enquirer, "It was the first time in history game officials escaped all abuse during a sporting contest."

The following night, the Cincinnati Bearcats took on the seventh-ranked Butler Bulldogs; on Feb. 24, the Xavier Musketeers battled the NCAA-champion Kentucky Wildcats, who would repeat as champs in the spring. To top off the thrilling week, Cincinnati native Ezzard Charles defeated Joey Maxim in a match in front of 14,000 boxing fans.

"Some of the largest crowds in the place's history came through that week," Perin says. "It was the first time people in the area could assemble in mass under a roof."

A haven for hockey





That a hockey game constituted the inaugural event may strike some as odd. But, says Perin, "One of the main reasons the Gardens was built was to attract a hockey tenant."

The sport was so foreign to the area that there was an explainer in the game program detailing how to watch hockey.

"Fans weren't quite sure what they were seeing," observes Waddell. "But even though they didn't understand the intricacies of hockey, they fell in love with it. "

Four different teams – the Mohawks, Swords, Cyclones and Mighty Ducks – have called the Gardens home. Spanning across decades and organizations, one thing tied these clubs together: their fan base.

"Many sporting events were for the white-collar crowd," Waddell says. "Hockey at the Gardens was an affordable ticket, and gave a chance to regular folks to experience professional sports. Hell, I know I spent nights in these seats having a beer or two."

"One of my more memorable nights was at the Gardens," remembers Lance McAlister, Cincinnati radio host. "My son, Casey, was battling leukemia, and was asked to drop the ceremonial puck. We walked to center ice, he raised the puck above his head to show the crowd, and dropped it. He loved the cheers from the crowd."

Memories have such a strong tie with the Gardens that, sometimes, people create their own.

"People insist they watched the Stingers at the Gardens," Waddell says, laughing. He's referring to a World Hockey Association squad that played in Cincinnati – but at Riverfront Coliseum (now US Bank Arena). "I try to tell them they didn't play here, but they swear to it."

Kings of the Queen City





In the spring of 1957, the crowd at the Gardens was introduced to professional basketball. The National Basketball Association pressured Royals owners Lester and Jack Harrison to transfer the then-Rochester, N.Y.-based team to a more profitable market.

Initially, the city didn't reciprocate the love. "We have two very good college programs here," Perin notes. "The attention was divided."

Only eight teams formed the league in the '50s, and games, when televised, were tape-delayed. Not helping matters was the Royals' on-court performance. In its first three seasons, Cincinnati finished with the worst record in the league twice.

Lucky for the Royals, back then, NBA teams could forfeit their first-round selection by picking a collegiate player within a 50-mile radius.

The Royals grabbed the reigning three-time Player of the Year: Clifton's own Oscar Robertson. "Oscar was as good as they come. It was a perfect match," Waddell states.

Attendance tripled at the Gardens in the Big O's rookie year. By Robertson's second campaign, the Royals made the playoffs, then six straight playoff appearances.

Because of the Gardens' purposeful hockey configuration, there was ample room between the permanent stands and the team benches, making it easy to get up close to the basketball court. In old footage, you can see kidsright behind the baskets, and sometimes, seemingly in the huddle.

"As a child, my friends and I would run around the arena, and it seemed like we were this close to touching NBA stars," says Joe Sunderman, Xavier basketball's play-by-play announcer.

But the Royals' high-flying years butted up against the Celtics' dynasty of Bill Russell and Red Auerbach, and Wilt Chamberlain's 76ers.

Worse, hiring Bob Cousy in 1969, imagined to take the team to the next level, had the opposite effect. While Cousy was a Hall of Famer for the Celtics, he failed to connect with the Royals as head coach. He famously clashed with Robertson, ultimately trading away the hometown star to Milwaukee.

"Fans were disgruntled after Oscar was traded," says Perin. "People stopped showing up. The place was empty."

Robertson's departure served as end for the club's long-term prospects in the city. In 1972, the team packed its bags for Kansas City.

Though its NBA relationship lasted only 15 years, the Gardens put its imprint on the sport. It was home to six Hall of Famers and hosted the 1966 NBA All-Star Game.

The X-Men

College basketball lasted longer at the Gardens. The Bearcats had a five-year run in the '50s, and the Gardens served as emcee for the Crosstown Shootout, hosting the event from 1958 to 1975. But it's the Xavier Musketeers who called the arena off Seymour Avenue home from 1983 to 2000, and made it a nightmare for opponents, posting a mind-blowing 215-25 record.

"We had some great teams in that time," says Sunderman, a former Musketeer player and the voice of Xavier since 1980. "It helped that the Gardens was an extremely loud venue with a passionate fan base."

Xavier's first years at the Gardens coincided with the program's rebirth. Led by coach Pete Gillen and stars like Byron Larkin, Tyrone Hill, Brian Grant, Xavier went from afterthought to a mainstay on the national scene. Making just one NCAA tournament appearance before 1983, Xavier reached the Big Dance 11 times in its 17 years at the Gardens.

Surprisingly, it was a Xavier defeat that was one of the more memorable games there.

"The Musketeers had the UMass Minutemen, then ranked No. 1 in the country (in 1996), on the ropes," Sunderman says. "But a UMass guard (Edgar Padilla ) sent the game to overtime with a three." Marcus Camby, who would win Player of the Year honors that season, blocked a shot from Xavier's Gary Lumpkin in the extra period to seal the victory.

"That was one of the more exciting games I've seen," Sunderman declares. "It also helped put Xavier on the map."

More than just sports





During the '50s, Cincinnati was still viewed as a major market in post-war America. Musicians and performers regarded the city as a must-stop. The Gardens "was the center, the hub of life in the '50s and '60s," Waddell says. "Because TV wasn't prevalent, the occasions were must-see events. If you wanted to see a certain act, this was your only chance to see it."

The list of artists is long and distinguished: Elvis, Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper. In later years, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Madonna and Pearl Jam. The Rolling Stones came in 1965, although be skeptical if anyone mentions they attended this concert. "Only 5,000 showed up," Perin reminds.

When the Stones came to town years later, they performed at Riverfront Stadium before 55,000 people.

The Gardens also hosted the Beatles on Aug. 27, 1964. Tickets for the show sold out immediately."Once the Beatles came romping out, it was complete pandemonium," Nancy Pelzel, who attended the concert as a 15-year-old, told The Cincinnati Enquirer in August 2014. "You could barely hear the music in the distance, as the screaming was so loud that it just pierced your ears."

There was other drama. Daredevil Evel Knievel with motorcycle jumps. Sesame Street Live. Even a swimming festival. Presidential nominees Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon held campaign events at the Gardens (the latter event gathered a building-record 19,000 in attendance), and Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to supporters during an Avondale trip in the height of Civil Rights movement.

"This," says Waddell, "was our city's meeting place."

A cloudy future





Since the Musketeers and Mighty Ducks departed, the Gardens has lacked a luminary, backbone entity. The Cincinnati Rollergirls have an avid following. But they're not central to the city's conversation. For most of the area's big-name acts, the Gardens is no longer considered a viable option.

And with reason. Much of what fuels the Gardens' nostalgic ambience also encumbers it. There is no massive video scoreboard. The paint scheme is outdated. Visible cracks mar the walls. There are concessions, but compared to contemporary stadium vendors, the selections are plain and small. The bathrooms are tiny.

"To many," says Waddell, "the Gardens is a museum."

Although it underwenta minor renovation in 1999, it was more routine maintenance rather than a makeover. "The seats are still the originals from its opening," Waddell says. Although sturdy, they're uncomfortably small and hard.

The Gardens' surroundings haven't helped. Compared to the vibrant landscape of the Banks and Clifton's campus environment, the Gardens is surrounded by automotive shops and parking lots; a concrete desert, if you will. There is overgrown grass and litter. There's nowhere for fans to grab a drink or bite to eat after a game.

Then there's the problem of the Gardens' ownership. The Robinson family, landlords since 1979, put the building on the market in the summer of 2013. Several parties have expressed interest, but a new owner could demolish the place.

The Gardens, despite its history, does not have Historic Landmark status. "It's a Catch-22" explains Waddell. "If the Gardens is chosen (for that designation) , it hampers what you can do in terms of possible renovation. Although it deserves it, it would hurt the prospects even more."

Legacy





Sitting alone in an 11,000-seat gym, it's easy to picture all that has come through the Gardens. The athletic contests. The spectacles. The music. The history.

The Gardens' Legends Museum, like the building itself, could use some TLC, but its vibe is distinct. It has a gallery with memorabilia and artifacts charting the building's history. Programs, jerseys, championship banners. A recording from Dr. King's sermon, made just weeks before his "I Have A Dream" speech.

Waddell says it's hard to pick a favorite, but he does.

"There is a picture on the wall, an aerial shot of the Gardens. Not only does it show the building, but the surrounding neighborhood. It's a shot of a time gone by. The neighborhoods and surrounding area have changed. But the one constant, the common thread, is the Gardens."

And, he adds, "You don't know what you got 'til it's gone."

If you have an idea that fits our historical/retro mold, feel free to send your proposals to jbeall@cincinna.gannett.com .