Palacio de los Deportes

Construction

The arena was built for the basketball tournament of the 1968 Summer Olympics, though designed as a multipurpose facility. It was constructed by the company ICA between October 15, 1966, and September 13, 1968, finishing one month before the Olympics. The site lies 14 miles from the Olympic Village and 6.5 miles from downtown Mexico City, within the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City near the junction of the Miguel Alemán Viaduct and Río Churubusco Interior Loop.

The circular building has a square-patterned dome spanning 380 feet and enclosing 6.7 acres, made of hyperbolic paraboloids of tubular aluminum covered with waterproof copper-sheathed plywood supported by steel arches. Original seating capacity was 22,370, including 7,370 removable seats, with parking for 3,864 vehicles. The three-floor structure houses facilities for athletes, officials, and media, with a mezzanine for boxes and upper stands. During the 1990s, modifications adjusted the acoustics, as the venue had acquired the nickname "Palacio de los rebotes" (Palace of Reverberations) due to sound echoing problems.

Events

The Palacio de los Deportes first opened its doors on October 8, 1968, with a ballet performance. During the 1968 Summer Olympics, it was the site for both the basketball tournament and the main volleyball matches. The venue later served as the home court for the CBA's Mexico City Aztecas from 1994 to 1995 and the CISL's Mexico Toros in 1995. An NBA regular season game between the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks took place there on December 6, 1997, ending 108-106. It also hosted the 1989 and 2015 FIBA Americas tournaments. Beyond sports, the Palace has held over 400 concerts and major expositions.