The building was not originally built for the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was built by Edgar Kaufman. It was originally built for the CLO (Civic Light Opera). It first opened in 1961. The roof alone cost a total of $5 million. Then the total cost of the building in 1961 was $22 million.                         

                         

         Edgar Kaufman built retractable roof even though it has only been used a few times. When the building was being used by the CLO it held only a little over 10,500 people. When the Pens first started using the Civic Arena they expanded it to what it holds now, which is over 17,000 people. Its holds near 18,000 people. 
         It was not until 1967 that the Pens started using this building as their home arena. At the time it was called the Civic Arena. It later was to be renamed to the Mellon Arena. 

 

E The Mellon Arena's floor is 200 feet by 85 feet. A total of 17,000 square feet for the ice. It can be expanded by pushing the front row seats back to 250 feet by 120 feet. A total of 30,000 square feet.                    

 

     

   

It was first called the Civic Arena from 1967 until 1999. In December of 1999 the Penguins signed a ten year contract agreeing that the Civic Arena be renamed to the Mellon Arena. The total cost of this agreement was $18 million. In this building there is a total of 2,950 tons of Pittsburgh steel. The Mellon Arena is the oldest arena in the NHL.                   
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