The Hartford Civic Center opened on January 9, 1975. The Coliseum part was the home arena of the former WHA & NHL New England / Hartford Whalers hockey team. The first professionnal hockey team to visit the Whalers at their new home was the San Diego Mariners. Considered as the NHL underdogs, the Whalers have left New England for Carolina where they are now called "Hurricanes". The mall was torn down, but the arena. A important moment in the Hartford Civic Center history was the collapse of the arena roof on January 18, 1978 when the snow weight became too heavy for the building structure.