The Von Braun Center is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in Huntsville, Alabama. As one of the largest venues in the state, the Von Braun Center can accommodate thousands of people for various events. Determining the total capacity of the Von Braun Center requires looking at each of its major facilities and their individual seat counts.
Propst Arena Capacity
The main arena at the Von Braun Center is the Propst Arena. This large performance and sporting venue has a maximum capacity of 10,000 people. The seating at Propst Arena includes:
- 5,800 permanent arena seats
- 1,300 seats in the upper concourse that can open for larger events
- 2,900 seats on the arena floor when it is configured for concert seating
With all the seating areas combined, Propst Arena can hold crowds as large as 10,000 for concerts, family shows, sporting events, and other major attractions. This makes it the largest events venue in Huntsville.
Concert Hall Capacity
The Von Braun Center also contains the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall. This elegant theater hosts performances and speaking engagements. The Concert Hall has a capacity of 2,563 people when configured with orchestra seating on the main floor and balcony seating.
The seating breakdown of the Concert Hall is:
- 1,315 orchestra level seats
- 1,248 balcony level seats
With seating for over 2,500 audience members, the Concert Hall allows the Von Braun Center to host large-scale theatrical performances, musical acts, and lectures.
North Hall Capacity
The North Hall is the main exhibit hall space at the Von Braun Center. It is frequently used for conventions, trade shows, and consumer shows. The North Hall has 48,000 square feet of space.
The maximum capacity of North Hall is:
- 4,500 people for banquet seating
- 5,500 people for lecture seating
The large square footage and high ceilings of North Hall make it an ideal venue for major exhibitions and events requiring a significant amount of floor space. The high capacity matches some of the other top convention centers in the state.
North Hall B Capacity
Connected to the main North Hall is North Hall B. This is additional exhibit space that can be used independently or in conjunction with North Hall for larger events. North Hall B provides an extra:
- 24,636 square feet of exhibit space
- Capacity for 2,100 banquet seats or 2,700 lecture seats
With North Hall B, the Von Braun Center expands its exhibition and meeting capabilities. Organizers can use North Hall B for ancillary functions or to expand the main trade show floor.
South Hall Capacity
The final major event facility at the Von Braun Center is South Hall. Like North Hall, this venue hosts conventions, corporate meetings, banquets, and other large gatherings needing a significant amount of flexible space. The details on South Hall are:
- 32,000 square feet of exhibit space
- Seating capacity for 2,400 banquet guests or 3,000 lecture attendees
South Hall gives meeting and event planners another large hall to work with when hosting multi-day conferences or multiple concurrent events.
Total Capacity Summary
Adding up the capacities of each of the major facilities at the Von Braun Center provides an overall estimated total capacity for the venue:
| Facility | Capacity |
|---|---|
| Propst Arena | 10,000 |
| Concert Hall | 2,563 |
| North Hall | 5,500 |
| North Hall B | 2,700 |
| South Hall | 3,000 |
| Total Capacity | 23,763 |
As the table summarizes, the total combined capacity of the various event spaces at the Von Braun Center is approximately 23,763 people. This includes the 10,000 seats at Propst Arena along with the other exhibit halls and theaters.
The large total capacity makes the Von Braun Center one of the most versatile and accommodating event venues in Huntsville and the state of Alabama. Event organizers can host anything from small business conferences to major touring productions. Thousands of people pass through the Von Braun Center doors each year to attend the wide range of events held there.
Notable Events at Full Capacity
The Von Braun Center has hosted many notable events that filled the venue to its full capacity:
- Concerts by major touring acts like Elton John, Janet Jackson, and Eagles have packed Propst Arena.
- The NBA exhibition games held annually at the arena since 2012 bring crowds of 10,000.
- Huntsville Comic Con fills the North and South Halls to capacity with over 10,000 attendees.
- Huntsville Boat Show utilizes all exhibit halls and draws over 20,000 visitors.
- Graduations for Alabama A&M University and other local colleges occupy all the facilities and bring thousands of families to campus.
These major events highlight the versatility of the Von Braun Center and its ability to accommodate 10,000+ person crowds when utilizing its full capacity. Concerts, conventions, and other special events all help attract significant tourism and economic impact to Huntsville each year.
Future Expansion
While the Von Braun Center already has significant capacity between its various venues, future expansion plans are in development to grow the facilities even further. A proposed $105 million project would add two new arenas and another exhibit hall.
Details on the potential future expansion include:
- A new 10,000 seat arena for more large concerts and sporting events.
- A smaller 3,500 seat arena for mid-size productions.
- An additional 50,000 square foot exhibit hall.
With these upgrades, the total event capacity of the Von Braun Center could increase to over 30,000 people. This would make it one of the largest convention complexes in the Southeastern United States.
Though still in the planning stages, the proposed expansions show the ongoing importance of the Von Braun Center to Huntsville. As the city continues growing, the venue allows it to attract ever-larger events and conventions.
Conclusion
The Von Braun Center currently has a total capacity of around 23,763 people across its various event facilities. Key venues like Propst Arena, Concert Hall, and the exhibit halls each hold thousands of people. Notable concerts, conferences, and other major events have filled the facilities to capacity and highlighted the versatility of the space. Future expansion plans for new arenas aim to grow the total capacity even more. With such significant space for events, the Von Braun Center will remain one of the premier convention and entertainment sites in Huntsville for years to come.
