PEORIA, Ill. — Do call it a comeback.
Thanks to a major investment from developer Kim Blickenstaff, the long-dormant Peoria Armory is set for a major revitalization.
Blickenstaff has become 50% owner of the facility, with a silent investor making up the other half.
Blickenstaff’s KDB Group announced Tuesday it plans to put a 100-year roof onto the venue.
The group said it was in talks to house an NBA G-League team, minor league and youth hockey, soccer, and concerts.
KDB Group CEO Greg Birkland circuses and other events could also be brought into the fold.
“That used to happen here. They used to have conventions here,” he said.
“This was the convention hub back in the day.”
Notably, the Armory was used by Bradley University for basketball from 1925 until 1950. Then-First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt gave a speech to urge Peorians to support the U.S.’s involvement in World War II.
Blueprints estimated it would seat up to 4,800 people, a little less than half of the 11,000-seat capacity of the Peoria Civic Center.
Thus, Birkland said, he didn’t believe there would be any sort of rivalry between the two.
“Hopefully, we’re not [competition]. I haven’t gotten to that level of discussion, but, hopefully, we can work hand-in-hand,” he said.
The venue’s renaissance is somewhat of a Cinderella story, as it hadn’t been used since 1995 and was actually ordered for demolition in 2004.
“We just see this building as needing to be restored and brought back to its old glory,” Birkland said.
“It’s been sitting empty way, way too long and has so much rich history.
“Bradley won more championships at this arena than anywhere else.”
Birkland said the group expected to complete the project by the end of 2020.
NOTE:
You can see pictures from inside the Armory at 1470WMBD on Instagram.
