the original building was constructed in 1952, and began life as the stadium arena. the building had an arched roof design with wooded arch supports instead of steel. the building housed many different tenants including two defunct ihl hockey teams. the grand rapids rockets in the 1950s (an nahl team of the same name played in the building during the 1990s) and the grand rapids owls in the late 1970s until 1980. during the 1960s and early 1970s it was home to atlantic mills department store. it was also home for a short time to a drive-in theater, known as the stadium drive-in theater. for most of its life it was located at the corner of turner ave. and west river drive. however, due to a reconstruction of west river drive, the parking lot was enlarged and turner ave. ended at west river drive.