Salem Civic Center treated Trump Rally attendees worse than anything I've ever seen. Absolutely abhorrent!!! I've always loved the Salem Civic Center and had good experiences there until yesterday, 11/2/2024, for the Trump Rally. You REALLY LET US DOWN YESTERDAY. There were signs for "Cooling Stations" supposedly, but none were set up. I had called days ahead and spoken with a man at the Civic Center about what would be available since no outside food or water would be allowed inside due to high security, and I was "ASSURED" there would be a Concession stand open with drinks and pre-packaged snacks, but no cooked food like hotdogs due to the expected size of the crowd. That would be perfect....EXCEPT, after waiting in line since 8 am, doors opening at 12, surprisingly INTENSE heat that had people passing out while waiting with no shade, we get inside at almost 2 pm to find them CLOSING THE CONCESSION STANDS!!!!!!!!!!! Yep CLOSED. Doors locked. First, I was told because they 'ran out of drinks, water and food." Then I was told by another worker: 'Secret Service closed it." It seemed to be open on and off as random people, like news reporters, seemed to be getting food and drinks AND COOKED FOOD. Then 'magically' the concession opened on the main level the instant Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin began his speech about an hour into the Rally. (Coincidence? I doubt it. Seemed intentional like so much of what happened Saturday.) But the line was NOT MOVING. And when we finally got waited on 1.5 hours later, we found out why the line was barely moving if at all. The young man behind the counter seemed to be intentionally moving as slow as possible! We had to argue with him to fill the $5 drink cups up! (he was filling them half way.) And there was also arguing with him over putting the cheese on the nachos! Not to mention, there were NO cardboard drink carriers for our family of five attending this who had had very little food or water since 8 am! That was true of nearly everyone there just due to circumstances. There were only 2 water fountains we could find, and one had almost no water pressure and you could only get one sip before it quit. The other one in the lobby had a long line...again, understandably so...people were dying of thirst and expecting to purchase water once inside. WHY ON EARTH DIDN'T YOU PREPARE FOR THIS CROWD????????????? Why didn't you bring in a TRUCK LOAD of BOTTLED WATER? I've owned and run a small vending service in the past, and even WE didn't run out of bottled water a large events, made a lot of money selling it, and also had DRINK CARRIERS!!!!! What is WRONG WITH YOU, SALEM CIVIC CENTER????? This was either GROSS INCOMPETENCE, or MALICE AGAINST TRUMP SUPPORTERS! I hate to think that was the case, but I was there and experienced it and it sure felt intentional because who could be that stupid?? One worker when I asked if there was water available (I was clearly having an issue with being over heated at this point) and she answered in a very sarcastic mean manner: "Well we had the restaurant open all morning and NOBODY CAME IN." REALLY LADY????????????????????????????? Unbelievable RUDE AND INSENSITIVE. How out of touch are you people anyway??? Did you not look outside and see with your own eyes what was happening out there? Thousands of people, Long lines, zig zagged through the ropes designed to organize the large numbers of people in line to get in!! You couldn't even get out of that line to use the Porta-Johns!!!!!!!! Much less visit and sit down in the indoor restaurant! Salem Civic Center, if you had been on top of your game, which CLEARLY YOU WERE NOT AND DIDN'T WANT TO BE, you would've had your bitchy restaurant person outside selling drinks, water and snacks to this massive crowd! I don't know who mismanaged this SO POORLY, but you should be fired! People were left suffering with heat strokes and dehydration, elderly people and children and some in health predicaments due to this negligence on your part. I'll be surprised if you aren't sued over this by someone. I hope Trump himself sues you! Heads should roll over this. You need new management, and new employees and a whole overhaul. I will never forget how BADLY I and my family and friends were treated yesterday. You all are deplorable: including every single employee there yesterday but most especially management! read more

Salem Civic Center - Fully packed Trump Rally. No concessions open!? - Civic Center Near Me - Salem, Virginia

The band we saw here, (the Turnpike Troubadours) were great; outstanding; excellent. The venue itself is miserable. It is clear that this is not a great venue for people who like to go to concerts, unless they want to stuff their faces at the same time with cheap, nasty greasy food. Better for sports fans who drink so much beer they're beyond caring. I did not know until we walked the considerable distance from the parking lot to the doors that handbags are not allowed inside the venue. Why not? I wondered. This was a first. I go to a *lot* of concerts, but never had I experienced any venue as officious. The staff were nice enough, but the owners are obviously way, WAY more interested in the profits made by hawking greasy, repulsive junk food than trying to make it enjoyable and comfortable for the concertgoers. I was ready to bail at that point and go home, but we were meeting another couple there, and my husband offered to run all the way back to our car and leave my bag there. They will allow see-through ziplock bags, so if you need to carry tampax, Anacin, etc, along, be warned they will be on full display, or take your chances without bringing anything. A completely disrespectful-to-women venue. Their rationale for this is to make a few bucks on food, and heaven forbid anyone might sneak food in. I never carry food in my handbag--no matter, we were still all forced to gag on the smell of fast food grease. UGH! I did not buy a single drink or bite on GPs, even I had not been grossed out. Instead of 1 so-so opening act, they had 2, and they both played a long time, so the Troubadours didn't come out till at least 9:15, or was it 9:30? (the concert started at 8, I believe, but we arrived at 8:15). There are lots of stairs to climb to any seat in the higher rows, so be warned, prepare to do a lot of climbing--no ramps, either, which is tougher in any kind of a heel. No handrails either. The seats are pretty small and hard, and leg room is poor for the longer-legged folks. Because of the so-so opening acts taking up so much time, the concert finished at 11:15. As we got closer to Blacksburg on the trip home, we got caught in some heavy traffic, ~ 12? which made the drive home even longer. I would have felt the trip was worth it if the humiliating treatment of women had not been freely and unapologetically displayed, but given their f---ed up policies and customer relations, I would not ever to a concert at this venue again, no matter who was performing there. They absolutely s*ck. No other venue in Virginia that I've gone to a concert at, has ever treated women so ignominiously. Even Jiffy Lube Pavilion, which has an egregiously hostile staff, never deprived me of my handbag, (in which I keep Visine, an essential at populous events for ppl with contacts). I hope the sexist porcine venue owner gets his butt sued one day. read more

It is a civic center, not much to report I was there for a graduation. The seats are not terribly comfortable, but it seemed in looking around they had plenty of seating for individuals differently abled. It seemed clean inside, but outside it smelled like a barn (outside of the mounds of fresh mulch) and no clue why. read more

You need more beer lines! I'm missing my concert because you have 3 congested, very very slow beer lines.

Nice venue for concerts and sporting events. We enjoyed the Roanoke Symphony Holiday Pops last night featuring the Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Chorus and the Roanoke College Childrens Choir. Accoustics were great and the staff was friendly. I also appreciated the fact that they didn't try to push us out the door after the event was over - they allowed us to finish our wine first. Well done! read more

Building is nice, nothing great. If you are tall the seats are hellaciously uncomfortable. I am 6'3" and my shins were in the 'headroom' of the seat in front of me. That being said, if you are short, you'll enjoy the sight lines because the seating bowl is steep and there won't be anyone blocking you. The employees there seemed as if they were only interested in doing the bare minimum and unwilling to give assistance beyond that. read more

I went in late October for the 90s concert! The venue is old and needs updating in many ways. There are only 2 beer/alcohol lines for the entire arena, one on each side. I asked someone who'd just gotten their drinks and they say they waited almost an hour in line. I decided I'd get my group waters since I wasn't standing in line during a concert for an hour. To my complete surprise, concessions only takes cash! What??! No credit cards? This is 2016, c'mon people! So we couldn't get anything to Drink or eat because none of us had cash. Major fail. read more

Old outdated uncomfortable area. I will say it's clean. Very short staffed. If you are a bigger person wether it be tall or over weight you will not be comfortable at all. Heck you may not even be able to sit down. The seats are plastic. Hard. The steps are steep and older people had a very hard time navigating at the event I was attending. If you can avoid this place I would. As dated as it was I thought I may see Ritchie, Potsy, Ralph, and the Fonz in seats near me. read more

I don't like to leave complaints, with that being said, i was at an event yesterday . 1/27/2018 and first of all the seats are horrible in there if you have any kind of meet on your bones to say you can not sit comfortably in these seats. If I am paying for my seat I should atleast be able to sit comfortably . I AM TALL as well and my knees were pushed into the seat I had to stand the last hour and a half. Second the staff. Most were very nice and accommodating there was one woman I could not find her name o. Her badge she was wearing but I have asthma pretty severe asthma and someone sitting close to me had on very strong cologne. It was causing an asthma episode and I guess my purse had fallen over in my car because it was not in there . I asked the lady if I could go out and get my inhaler out of my car I showed her my tickets and she yelled at me . She did not just authoritive but yelled at me that I could not go out the building and come back in. Even with my ticket . So i preceded to tell her. That I have asthma and I could not locate my inhaler I needed to check my car. She said very rude "well you should have brought it with you." I told her my problem and she was just so hateful but finally I just told her I could not breathe I needed my medication and she let me go out. I understand you have people that are not to truthful, but she could hear my distress. I hope this woman finds so compassion and empathy in her life because she obviously needs a new job. Thank you read more

Here for 4A State semi-finals for basketball. Seating could be updated, concession could be upgraded, bathrooms are ok

Graduations are not handled well. Everyone begins lining up early and you are in line until 45 minutes before graduation begins. This is especially bad since a lot of grandparents must stand to wait for such a long time. Then, once the lines release, everyone who is not in line quickly moves to the front of the line pushing to get in before everyone else. This could be handled much better by allowing those getting there early to begin entering at least an hour and 15 minutes before the time it starts. This would allow the elderly a chance to find their seats in a calm and orderly manner and they would not have to stand for such a long period of time. The steps of this civic center are very steep and not user friendly to those unsteady on their feet. By allowing people to enter earlier would give access to those getting there early to the seats they deserve since they waited for so long. This should not be taken lightly and given serious consideration by the high schools and the civic center. read more