The arena opened in 2002 on part of the former site of Pitt Stadium, which housed the university's football team from 1925 to 1999.
The Pitt men's and women's basketball programs make their home here, previously residing in Fitzgerald Field House.
The new building, due to its larger capacity, also meant that Pitt no longer had to play certain games or hold graduation ceremonies at the Civic Arena.

Its first event was a Counting Crows concert.
For concerts the Center seats 9,000 for end-stage shows, 14,763 for center-stage shows.
The first official women's basketball game at the Pete was a 90-51 win over Robert Morris University on November 22, 2002.
 The first official men's basketball game at the Pete was an 82-67 win over Duquesne University on November 23, 2002.
Since its creation through the end of the 2012-13 season, the Pitt men's basketball team has compiled a record of 180–22 (.891) at the Pete, including a 9-1 record against teams ranked in the top five.
Pitt broke the 100 win mark on November 22, 2008 with an 86-60 win over Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and the 200 win mark on December 30, 2014 vs Florida Gulf Coast.

In 2006, the Pittsburgh Xplosion, a professional basketball team in the Continental Basketball Association, played its first game at the arena.
The team folded just prior to the start of the 2008-09 season.

In October 2011, a new high definition video board was installed in the Petersen Events Center.

Since 2010, the Petersen Events Center has been used as the primary alternative to the much larger PPG Paints Arena, which replaced Mellon Arena, and is now the Pittsburgh home of Disney on Ice, Marvel Universe Live!
and the Big3, and hosted the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus in its final years.
The arena opened in 2002 on part of the former site of Pitt Stadium, which housed the university's football team from 1925 to 1999. The Pitt men's and women's basketball programs make their home here, previously residing in Fitzgerald Field House. The new building, due to its larger capacity, also meant that Pitt no longer had to play certain games or hold graduation ceremonies at the Civic Arena.
Its first event was a Counting Crows concert. For concerts the Center seats 9,000 for end-stage shows, 14,763 for center-stage shows. The first official women's basketball game at the Pete was a 90-51 win over Robert Morris University on November 22, 2002.  The first official men's basketball game at the Pete was an 82-67 win over Duquesne University on November 23, 2002. Since its creation through the end of the 2012-13 season, the Pitt men's basketball team has compiled a record of 180–22 (.891) at the Pete, including a 9-1 record against teams ranked in the top five. Pitt broke the 100 win mark on November 22, 2008 with an 86-60 win over Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and the 200 win mark on December 30, 2014 vs Florida Gulf Coast.
In 2006, the Pittsburgh Xplosion, a professional basketball team in the Continental Basketball Association, played its first game at the arena. The team folded just prior to the start of the 2008-09 season.
In October 2011, a new high definition video board was installed in the Petersen Events Center.
Since 2010, the Petersen Events Center has been used as the primary alternative to the much larger PPG Paints Arena, which replaced Mellon Arena, and is now the Pittsburgh home of Disney on Ice, Marvel Universe Live! and the Big3, and hosted the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus in its final years.
Petersen Events Center