history
By Douglas C. Town• April 3, 2025
For half a century, downtown Phoenix had a venue in which eavesdroppers fought, musicians harmonized, wrestlers worked, evangelists preached, and ice skaters pirouetted. This place was so well known that a new star named Elvis Presley offered to play there in return for Gas’ money and was incredibly refused. This story and much more history took place at Phoenix Madison Square Garden, named after a more ancient and more famous venue in New York City.
Built for $75,000 in 1929, the 3,000-seat arena opened on 7th Avenue just north of Adams Street for wrestling and boxing matches. The opening night featured three boxing matches that drilled holes into local fighters from California. The venue was labelled “The Best Fight Arena in the West” and sold tickets for $1-$3, but the woman was able to enter for 50 cents.
The epic opening notification printed the phrase “Everyone is welcome.” This was unusual given that separation was common in Phoenix at the time. According to the 2005 publication Phoenix Madison Square Garden Historic Property Documentation, the former athlete and promoter recall people of all races sitting together in the stands.
Wrestling was just as entertainment as sports, and boxing was the major draw for most of the arena’s life. However, dance marathons, ice skating displays and religious gatherings were also held at the venue.
In the 1950s, Madison Square Garden was at the forefront of the local music scene, and was later called the “Phoenix Sound.” In addition to Krux Radio, the venue hosted Arizona Hayride, a national and western musical event held on Saturday night. The show helped launch the careers of rockabilly musicians, including Al Casey, Jimmy Dell, Duane Eddie, Lee Hezlewood and Sanford Clark.
At that time, Elvis called for this year’s convention to play at the venue on a Saturday night in 1955. However, the show’s host and promoter Ray Odom has already booked the act and refused the invitation. “Because I was able to incorporate him into the show. He was a respectable young man and we became beautifully close,” the late Odom said in an interview in 2019.
“I brought Elvis back to the show at the State Fairgrounds in 1956,” Odom continued. “Then when I was financially settled with the guys at the fairgrounds, they said the show was incredible.
By the 1960s, Madison Square Garden had declined as a music venue, hampering it at stage events by a reduced seating capacity of less than 1,500. Instead, boxing and wrestling were once again major attractions.
The venue was closed in 1979 and converted to an automotive parts warehouse. The city of Phoenix purchased the building in 2004 and demolished it the following year for redevelopment. A little nod to the preservationists, Mini Mushyme from the New Madison Square Phoenix Office Complex introduces the history of Phoenix Madison Square Garden. This venue has been enjoyed by Phoenicians for 50 years. The museum is open Wednesdays from 11am to 2pm.
Douglas C. Town is the editor of Arizona Contractors & Community Magazine. www.arizcc.com
