TROY, OHIO (August 20, 2025) – Hobart Arena turns 75 this year. To celebrate, let’s take a look at how a family’s dream of recreational facilities for the City of Troy and the Miami Valley became a reality.
After the death of Clarence Charles Hobart, known as “CC”, in 1932, his three sons began to dream of a lasting tribute to his generosity and love for the City of Troy. More than a decade later, in November 1943, their vision took shape with the creation of the C.C. Hobart Foundation, established to express their gratitude and give back to the community that their father had loved so well.
As World War II came to a close, Edward and William Hobart were inspired by a trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania, where they visited a winter sports arena built by the Hershey Company in 1936. The facility, which drew crowds from across the region for sporting and entertainment events, sparked an idea: Troy, too, could benefit from such a venue. In 1946, Edward Hobart unveiled an ambitious plan to city leaders and local businesses. At its heart was a five-thousand-seat indoor arena, financed entirely by the C.C. Hobart Foundation. The arena would be part of a broader comprehensive plan for Troy’s recreation system, including upgraded football and baseball facilities, a new 18-hole golf course, and a riverside boathouse. These larger comprehensive recreation plans would be the subject of a bond issue vote, and, with the donation of the ice arena serving as a catalyst, other businesses and groups contributed to the cause. An anonymous donor even secured the services of renowned golf architect Donald Ross to design the new Miami Shores Golf Course.
Momentum built quickly, culminating in a bond issue vote to fund the comprehensive parks plan. The results, announced on March 4, 1947, were resounding: the measure passed with over 88 percent approval, 3,519 votes to 466.
By the end of the decade, two major projects were complete. Miami Shores Golf Course opened to the public on April 22, 1949. That fall, on September 3, the new Memorial Stadium debuted with a special high school football scrimmage featuring teams from Troy, Piqua, Sidney, and Greenville. The stadium soon became home turf for the Troy Trojans, and ownership of the stadium was later transferred to Troy City Schools.
As 1949 drew to a close, construction crews led by William Van Ausdal of Hobart Brothers worked tirelessly on the crown jewel of the plan—the arena itself. By January 1950, the facility was ready to host basketball games, and on February 2, a record crowd packed the venue to watch high school teams face off. Shortly after the final whistle, crews began the delicate task of installing nearly 11 miles of piping and pouring concrete to create the arena’s ice surface. That summer, the Board of Park Commissioners signed a two-year contract to bring “top-flight entertainment” to Troy. The promise was fulfilled on September 7, 1950, when the arena’s grand opening featured a dazzling performance of Holiday on Ice.
Since that night, Hobart Arena has hosted hundreds of concerts, shows, and sporting events, becoming a cornerstone of Troy’s cultural and recreational life. In the decade following its opening, Hobart Arena hosted Gene Autry, Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Lawrence Welk, Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars and was the home to the Troy Bruins Professional Hockey team and the Troy Skating Club. The 60s brought Count Basie, Johnny Mathis, Peggy Fleming, and frequent performances from the Harlem Globetrotters. Later, the Hobart Arena saw the growth of local exhibitions like the Miami Valley Home Show, as well as a huge number of figure skating championships as the sport became more popular– and the big-name concerts kept coming. Alabama, Foreigner, Casting Crowns, Third Day, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Scotty McCreery, Riley Green, REO Speedwagon, Martina McBride, Alice Cooper – all have graced the stage at Hobart Arena. Various highlighted performers the arena has hosted over the last 75 years are commemorated with banners along Adams Street and the Adams Street Bridge. Additionally, there are decade by decade displays throughout the Hobart Arena corridor outlining the wide variety of historical events that have taken place at the arena since 1950.
The bold vision first shared in 1946 by the Hobart Brothers not only reshaped the city’s landscape but also enriched its quality of life for generations to come.