Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, N.C.

North Carolina's Greensboro Coliseum was home to WWE's first Unforgiven pay-per-view in 1998, but the indoor arena has hosted many sporting events and concerts, and several "American Idol" events. It has also been the site of many live sports entertainment events, including WWE's King of the Ring in 1999, WWE's Survivor Series in 2001, four WCW Starrcades, part of NWA's Great American Bash in 1986 and WrestleWar 1990.
 
The arena, which broke ground in 1959 and was renovated in 1993, has been home to numerous sporting events. It hosted the NHL's Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes from 1997-1999 while the team's permanent home, the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C., was being built. College basketball also has a strong presence at the Coliseum -- it hosted the 1974 NCAA men's Final Four tournament, 20 ACC men's tournaments and it's the home of the ACC women's tournament. The Greensboro Revolution, a National Indoor Football League team, played their inaugural season at the Coliseum this year.
 
Top-notch music and entertainment acts have performed at the Greensboro Coliseum, including Aerosmith, Cher, Billy Joel, Elton John, Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Buffet, Stars on Ice and Monster Jam.
 
"American Idols Live!" played at the Coliseum during its seasons four and five tours. For the show's season three finale, the Coliseum was the site of a live, televised party in honor of the season's eventual winner, North Carolina's Fantasia Barrino. Season two runner-up, Clay Aiken, also a Tar Heel state native, has played the Coliseum, and most recently, season five "Idol" auditions were held there.
 
The city of Greensboro -- the "Gate City" -- is in the Piedmont region in central North Carolina, and has a population of more than 231,000. First lady Dolley Madison and short-story writer William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) were born in Greensboro. Radio personality, Rick Dees, grew up in Greensboro; and U.S. Olympic gold, silver and bronze medalist, speed skater Joey Cheek, was born and raised there.
 
The city is home to several sports teams and events not at the Coliseum, including the Greensboro Grasshoppers minor league baseball team, the Carolina Dynamo professional soccer team and the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro PGA Tour event.
 
Several universities and colleges, including a branch of the University of North Carolina, Bennett College and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University are in Greensboro.