Broad spectrum of events for arena's swan song

For this, the Wachovia Spectrum's final month of operation, Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider said it's "fitting" that a huge crop of concerts are going down in the arena, to "add to these wonderful memories that we'll forever hold in our hearts."

After all, the South Philly sports and entertainment showplace has long been known as "The House that Rock Built." It's a venue that gave important boosts to hundreds of artists new and seasoned, and benefited greatly as Philly music fans kept coming out in droves to support their faves.

So the house is shutting down this Rocktober with plenty of last hurrahs - from last weekend's Maxwell-topped neo-soul spectacular to the arena-capping finale of Pearl Jam, working the room (earnestly) for four nights, Oct. 27, 28, 30 and 31. (The venue officially closes on Oct 31.)

In between, we'll be grooving with another four-night stand - that stretch (over two weeks) of Bruce Springsteen music marathons commencing on Tuesday, then with the who-knew-he-was-an-arena-star Leonard Cohen, as the seasoned poetic troubadour lands on Oct. 22.

A night later comes the ultra-nostalgic, all-Philly lineup of Hall & Oates, Todd Rundgren, the Hooters and the Soul Survivors, a hardly surprising instant sellout at turn-back-the-clock ($4, $5 and $6 tops) prices that mirrored what the Spectrum charged attendees for its first attraction 42 years ago, the Quaker City Jazz Festival on Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 1967.

But wait.

If that isn't enough for you, there'll be more to take away, shared Comcast-Spectacor president Peter Luukko in a chat this week. On Oct. 24, the building will open its doors for any and all to take a midday (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) "Last Stroll" around that may even be all-access to "the backstage and locker room parts."

And if you want something more concrete to remember it by, Luukko suggests you start checking out the RememberThe Spectrum.com Web site. Before the wrecking ball comes through next April, the owners hope to recycle as much of the facility as they can.

Have a spot in your home theater or rec room for a pair of Spectrum seats, pre-mounted on a wooden base to keep them upright? They'll be available at a price "probably north of $300," said Luukko. "Some season ticket holders have already requested the seats they've been sitting in. And they don't want them reupholstered. They want them in 'Spectrum worn' condition."

In the everything-must-go spirit, even men's room urinals are up for grabs. "WIP has asked for one for their Wing Bowl," said Luukko, though he shudders to think what the radio station will use it for.

Some banners, photos from the walls, old posters, items from the locker rooms and dasher boards also will be available, as will, eventually, the building's bricks. Forget about nabbing the banner hung from the rafters to mark the Grateful Dead's record-breaking 53 concerts at the Spectrum, though.

"We gave it to the band their last time through," said Luukko.

Parting with all this stuff and bringing down the building have not been easy for the Comcast-Spectacor team. "While other arenas in cities like Chicago, Boston and Toronto came down when a new facility was built, we held on here for 13 years" after the Wachovia Center was opened, Luukko said.

Last year's dismantling of the arena football league (including the Philadelphia Soul) and this summer's sale and relocation (to Glens Falls, N.Y.) of the Phantoms minor league hockey team left the building without a sports franchise. The economy also is "a bit of a factor," and the owners were "faced with having to put in some large capital expenditures" to keep the Spectrum going.

"But we probably would have done that, we'd think of 100 excuses not to tear it down," said Luukko, "if David Cordish" [of Baltimore's Cordish Company] hadn't come up with his proposal."

That's for Philly Live, a new retail, restaurant and entertainment district planned for the site, to "run at a diagonal from the Wachovia Center to Citizens Bank Park."

The Planning Commission has yet to approve the plans, nor has financing been completed and tenants signed. Yet partners Cordish Company and Comcast-Spectacor are convinced the project can be up and running as soon as 18 to 24 months after the Spectrum's demolition.

"It's not like we need a magnet tenant to make this project work," said Luukko. "We already have our magnet - the 8 million visitors dropping annually into the neighborhood for a sporting event, concert or family show, with hardly ever a dark night."

Here's an idea, guys, how 'bout a nostalgic Spectrum Rock Cafe for the site? I know where you can get some historic, um, fixtures.