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Capital Centre 50th Anniversary Retrospective: Author Visit and Book Signing

Local director / producer Jeff Krulik, along with the Laurel History Boys and special guests, will discuss and sign their book, "Capital Centre: A Retrospective." They will describe how the arena came to be and share backstage stories from sports to concerts featuring virtually every major performer across all genres. Oral histories for the Capital Centre Collection at UMD will also be collected.

The Capital Centre opened Dec 2, 1973 in Landover, MD and for over 25 years was one of the top arenas in the country. Often referred to affectionally as ‘Cap Centre,’ it was home to our major sports teams, host to countless concerts, and the first arena to have computerized ticketing, bult-in sky suites and a jumbo video monitor known as Telscreen. The Laurel History Boys produced a 50th anniversary book called "Capital Centre, A Retrospective” and we will describe how the arena came to be and tell backstage stories from sports to concerts by virtually every major performer in every genre.

About the Book: "Capital Centre | A Retrospective"

"Capital Centre | A Retrospective" is a 280-page hardcover visual history of the legendary Capital Centre arena, created to commemorate its 50th anniversary. This book includes a wealth of photography, artifacts, anecdotes, and ephemera—much of which has likely never been seen before. It serves as a visual scrapbook, capturing the essence of the venue, its concerts, sporting events, and many other attractions over 25 years as one of the top arenas in the country.

The book is divided into four key sections:

• The venue itself
• The concert experience
• Sporting events (featuring the Washington Bullets, Washington Capitals, pro wrestling, boxing, and more)
• Other attractions (including circuses, equestrian events, monster truck shows, and more)

Additionally, the book includes a 60-page chronological listing of every event ever held at the Capital Centre.

Written and produced by Richard Friend, Kevin Leonard, and Jeff Krulik, with forewords by Jim and Robert Pollin.

You can check out a copy of the book or view it in the Prince George's Room collection. 

The book can also be purchased here. Customers will be able to purchase it at the event via e-payment and have it signed. 

This event is sponsored by the Laurel History Boys, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization utilizing archival preservation, photography, oral history, publications, and presentations to convey the historical experiences of Laurel, Maryland. The Laurel History Boys publish the Voices of Laurel publications, including "Postmark Laurel" and "Laurel at 150."