Compaq Center
From sports arena to spiritual home: the story of Houston's Compaq Center.
The Lakewood Church Central Campus is the main facility of Lakewood Church, a non-denominational evangelical Christian megachurch in Houston, Texas, five miles southwest of Downtown Houston and next to Greenway Plaza. From 1975 to 2003, the building served as a multi-purpose sports arena for professional teams, notably the NBA's Houston Rockets. It was known as The Summit until 1998, when technology firm Compaq bought naming rights and dubbed it Compaq Center. That name was dropped when Toyota Center opened as a new and more advanced professional sports venue in the same city, and the building was leased to Lakewood Church. Seven years later, in 2010, the church bought the building outright.
- Role
- Primary Home Arena
- Affiliation
- Houston Rockets (NBA)
- Notable Achievement
- Hosted two NBA Championships (1994, 1995)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Completed in 1975 at a cost of $18 million, there was an Opening Night Spectacular called 'Heart To Heart', benefitting the Baylor College of Medicine, The Methodist Hospital, and the Texas Heart Institute. Andy Williams was the headliner. The Summit represented a lavish new breed of sports arena. On each end of the arena was a Fair-Play scoreboard with a small two-line monochrome message center. Both scoreboards were upgraded in 1986 with the addition of three front-projection videoboards on top of each scoreboard. The center videoboard showed live game footage, fan shots, and replays while the left and right videoboards showed slides displaying advertisements for the Rockets' (and Aeros') sponsors.
In Their Own Story
The first professional wrestling event at the Summit was promoted by Houston Wrestling on May 29, 1977, headlined by the American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel drawing Terry Funk. On January 7, 1979, Dusty Rhodes won the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship from Mark Lewin. The World Wrestling Federation aired the first TV card from the venue on October 19, 1986, featuring Hulk Hogan defending his title against Paul Orndorff and a $50,000 tag team battle royal. It held the Royal Rumble on January 15, 1989, the first time the Royal Rumble, won by Big John Studd, was televised on pay-per-view. The newly renamed Compaq Center hosted the No Way Out of Texas: In Your House PPV on February 15, 1998, and Bad Blood on June 15, 2003. It hosted a live episode of SmackDown! on September 13, 2001, the first major entertainment event in the US after the September 11 attacks.
Reader's Guide
The Summit housed the NBA's Rockets, the now defunct WHA/IHL/AHL Aeros, the now also defunct WNBA Comets, several now defunct arena football and indoor soccer sports teams until they vacated the arena in favor of the new Toyota Center in downtown Houston. The NBA Finals were hosted by The Summit in 1981, 1986, 1994, and 1995, including the deciding games of 1994 and 1995, and the celebrations that followed. The Summit also hosted the WNBA championships of 1997 through 2000, all of which were won by the Houston Comets. The first professional wrestling event at the Summit was promoted by Houston Wrestling on May 29, 1977, headlined by the American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel drawing Terry Funk. On January 7, 1979, Dusty Rhodes won the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship from Mark Lewin. The World Wrestling Federation aired the first TV card from the venue on October 19, 1986, featuring Hulk Hogan defending his title against Paul Orndorff and a $50,000 tag team battle royal. It held the Royal Rumble on January 15, 1989. The newly renamed Compaq Center hosted the No Way Out of Texas: In Your House PPV on February 15, 1998, and Bad Blood on June 15, 2003. It hosted a live episode of SmackDown! on September 13, 2001, the first major entertainment event in the US after the September 11 attacks.
Did You Know?
- The Summit was completed in 1975 at a cost of $18 million.
- The opening night featured Andy Williams as headliner.
- The arena was known as The Summit until 1998, when Compaq bought naming rights.
- Lakewood Church bought the building outright in 2010 for $7.5 million.
- The Summit hosted the NBA Finals in 1981, 1986, 1994, and 1995.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the primary role of the Compaq Center for the Houston Rockets?
It served as the team's main home arena located in Downtown Houston, Texas, from 1993 to 2003. This venue provided the backdrop for the franchise during a decade defined by regular season success and playoff contention.
Did the Houston Rockets win any NBA titles while playing at this stadium?
Yes, the arena hosted two championship victories for the team in the years 1994 and 1995. These wins marked the peak of the mid-90s dynasty that is still celebrated by fans today.
Why was the venue named Compaq Center instead of The Summit?
Corporate sponsorship deals with Compaq Computer Corporation led to the renaming of the facility during its tenure as an NBA home. This branding change coincided with the team's relocation from previous venues like the Astrodome.
How long did the Rockets call this location their home court?
The franchise utilized the stadium for exactly ten years, spanning from 1993 until it closed in 2003. After that period, the team moved to a different venue to continue their operations.
What makes the Compaq Center culturally important to Rockets supporters?
Many fans view the hallowed hardwood as sacred ground where the dynasty of the mid-90s reached its absolute zenith. It remains a nostalgic symbol of Hakeem Olajuwon’s prime and the team's greatest era.
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