In October of 1976, the team of Larson & Darby, Inc. and Orput Architects were selected to design a new city center in the heart of downtown Rockford, later named the MetroCentre and known today as the BMO Center.
This $13M, 132,000-square-foot entertainment complex included seating for 9,000. It brought stellar entertainment to our community and shaped our downtown. The opening night gala on January 31, 1981, was headlined by Dionne Warwick and Lynda Carter, with the most significant event in its history occurring when The Rolling Stones made an appearance on their 1981 North American Tour on October 1, 1981.
Today, the BMO Center, with its multi-purpose arena with a sports ice sheet, hosts a wide range of sporting events, entertainment, conventions, local high school graduations, and is home to the Rockford IceHogs (the top minor league affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks).
Over the past nearly 50 years, Larson & Darby Group has continued to provide architectural and engineering design for numerous renovation projects. We are proud of our role in the BMO Center’s continued success, as well as the support and enthusiasm of the Rockford community for this important and vital local landmark.
