Recreation and Facilities Management | 239 Park Avenue | Portland, Maine 04102 | (207) 874-8200
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On-Call Part Time Security and Food Service Positions  (9/3/2010)
You can be a part of the guest experience at the Portland Expo and Merrill Auditorium. The City of Portland welcomes applicants for part time on-call positions in food service, security, and event operations. More

Unique City Owned Venues   (5/5/2011)
A variety of unique city owned venues are available for event use. More

exposition building

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Red Claws
 
 
The Portland Exposition Building has been a landmark for sporting events during it’s long history and this winter the Expo ushers in a new and exciting chapter as it will be home to the newest NBA Development League team the Maine Red Claws. The Red Claws will be affiliated with the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Bobcats as future NBA players make there way to basketball’s biggest stage. This winter some of the greatest athletes on the planet will play in front packed houses in what is sure to be one of the biggest home court advantages in the NBA D-league.

The Portland Expo hosted over 55,000 visitors at its first event, the Maine State Exposition June 07, 1915 thru June 19, 1915. The building, at the time the largest exposition facility in New England, outside of Massachusetts, was constructed thru a fund raising effort of the Portland Board of Trade and its President, Frank M. Low.

In its rich history, the Exposition Building hosted the first high school basketball game between Portland and South Portland. In addition, the building has hosted indoor tennis, indoor track, and wrestling. Boxing at the Exposition Building included the New England Lightweight Championship in 1937, when over 6,000 watched Paul Junior fight Honey Melody.

Today, hundreds of athletes participate in basketball and indoor track and hundreds of others use the extensive locker room and practice facilities. Thousands have attended major concerts by Phish, Ani Difranco, Natalie Merchant, the Monkees, and Rusted Root; visited the many warehouse sales for a bargain; made plans for vacations or home improvements at the variety of consumer shows; been educated by the speakers and exhibitors at the mix of trade shows; and been a part of major community events, banquets, and receptions such as the Downeaster Inauguration and Lighthouses on Parade.