Glen Campbell was the first act to perform in the Hartford Civic Center when it opened its doors January 9, 1976. Johnny Mathis and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra played the next night.

The Civic Center (since renamed the XL Center) has hosted several hockey events, including the 1986 NHL All-Star Game, and the 1994 NHL draft.

Only three years after it opened, the Civic Center needed to undergo massive renovations when a snowstorm caused the roof to collpase after the University of Connecticut men's basketball team defeated the University of Massachusetts. The arena re-opened two years later with a hockey game between the Hartford Whales and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Besides WrestleMania XI, the Center was also home to Survivor Series 1990, No Way Out 2000, and Vengeance 2004.