August 15, 2007

Show Me Center: 20 years of memories

The Show Me Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary. A glimpse of its past are presented in these file photographs from the Southeast Missourian.

With the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon, hundreds of balloons floated upward to signal the grand opening of the Show Me Center on Aug. 20, 1987.

The board of managers of the multipurpose building, later called the Show Me Center, met for the first time with the building director, David Ross, who updated the members on construction progress on Feb. 6, 1987. From left were Cape Girardeau city manager Gary Eide, Dr. Robert W. Foster, Ross, board chairman Cordell Dombrowski, Charles C. Leming, university Regent Anne Bradshaw and university relations director Ron Hines.

David Ross, director of the Show Me Center, stood among the 6,800 seats in the main arena in August 1987.

Grand opening ceremonies for the Show Me Center were held on the morning of August 20, 1987 on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. At the ribbon cutting were, from left, U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, SEMO regents president Anne Bradshaw, Cape Girardeau Mayor Gene Rhodes, Missouri House Speaker Bob. F. Griffin, and Missouri Senate President Pro Tem John E. Scott.

Part of the crowd that attended the dedication of the Show Me Center streamed through the front doors as the festivities moved inside on Aug. 20, 1987. About 1,500 people attended the events.

Country musician George Jones entertained the crowd on Aug. 21, 1987, at the first concert in the Show Me Center.

Country music singer Tanya Tucker performed in the first concert at the Show Me Center on Aug. 21, 1987.

Comedian Bob Hope drove a golf ball toward the northwest from the roof of the Show Me Center on Aug. 28, 1987, prior to his performance that evening. Observing his style were, from left, David Ross Show Me Center director; Jim Doyle, events coordinator; and Cord Dombrowski, a member of the board of managers.

Bob Hope entertained the crowd at the Show Me Center on Aug. 28, 1987.

More than 200 people were in line at the Show Me Center on Aug. 29, 1987 when tickets went on sale for the Oct. 15 Tina Turner concert. About 40 people spent the night outside the ticket office in order to get the best seats.

Tina Turner entertained the crowd in the first sell-out concert at the Show Me Center on Oct. 15, 1987.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the Show Me Center was held March 21, 1985.

"Dollar Devil II" competed in the truck and tractor pull at the Coors Light Motor Spectacular on November 15, 1987.

President Ronald Reagan spoke at the Show Me Center on September 15, 1988.

An enthusiastic crowd greeted President Reagan at the Show Me Center on Sept. 15, 1988. Here, several Southeast Missouri State University students wave signs and cheer during the president's speech.

A Southeast Missouri State basketball game played in 1988 was one of many events held in the first year of the Show Me Center. Several games drew over 6,000 people, quite an improvement over the 2,500 people that Houck Field House could hold.

Dusty Krause of Pacific, Mo made his run in the calf roping competition of the Longhorn World Championship Rodeo on February 3, 1989.

Steel support beams for the Show Me Center were unloaded from a barge on the river.

Massive steel assemblies were brought to Cape Girardeau by barge in June 1986, and traveled College and Sprigg streets to the construction site. The 118 by 20 foot assemblies weighed about 40 tons. By October of that year, with work running ahead of schedule, the building was taking shape and university officials were looking forward to completion of the center in eight months time.

Work progressed on the Show Me Center on Oct. 16, 1986.

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The Show Me Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary. A glimpse of its past are presented in these file photographs from the Southeast Missourian.

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