u/Commercial-Chef-6972

Who Remembers Harrah's Lake Tahoe July 19, 2023?

This was in the VIP Practice session.

What were the highlights, or the best moments?

Do you even remember it?

I am new to reddit, please let me know if I am not supposed to post personal video's then I will immediately take them down and replace them for still photos. Still navigating and new to reddit. Thank you.

Yes, located at 17171 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027, this has got to be one of the most historic places in Broward County that has been forgotten. It was the site of the Hollywood Sportatorium. 

Seriously, next time you are grabbing pastelitos or groceries at the Sedano's on Pines Blvd, take a look at the floor. You are standing exactly where some of the greatest music legends in history on Earth went down.

From 1970 to 1988, that exact plot of land was home to the Hollywood Sportatorium. It was a hot, leaky, chaotic, 15,000+ seat warehouse. Traffic on Pines Blvd was a nightmare because it was just a two-lane road back then. But despite having terrible acoustics and barely any AC, every major rock star in history played right here in Broward County.

The Mind-Blowing Rock Highlights:

• The Grateful Dead (5/22/77): They played a legendary show here that was later immortalized as Dick's Picks Volume 3. Deadheads widely consider this "Sugaree" and "Help>Slip>Franklin's" to be some of the absolute best live versions the band ever performed.
• Santana (1977 & 2/17/79): Carlos Santana brought his mind-bending Latin-rock fusion to the arena multiple times. His legendary 1979 show with Eddie Money opening is one of the most talked-about "Cellar Door Concerts" nights in South Florida history, with people still hunting down the vintage backstage patch passes from that night! 
• Lynyrd Skynyrd (10/15/77): They played the Sportatorium just five days before their tragic plane crash. It was one of the final times the original lineup ever shared a stage.
• Elvis Presley (2/12/77): The King kicked off his 54th tour right here in his iconic "Indian Feather" jumpsuit. It was one of his very last major Florida appearances before he passed away six months later.
• Queen (2/19/77 & 11/78): Freddie Mercury blew the roof off the place during the peak of their global dominance.
• And everyone else: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon tour, Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Nirvana, Rush, and Bruce Springsteen all graced that stage.

And it wasn't just rock and roll—the Sporto was a massive hub for Funk and R&B. Legends like Parliament-Funkadelic, Rick James, Earth Wind & Fire, and the Isley Brothers brought the absolute heaviest bass lines in history to Pembroke Pines, turning that giant warehouse into one massive dance floor. 

The Masters of Funk & Soul

• Marvin Gaye (9/10/77): The Prince of Soul brought his smooth, legendary vocals to the sweltering arena at the absolute height of the venue's historic 1977 run. (Fun fact: The Grateful Dead actually closed their famous May '77 show at the Sporto covering his anthem "Dancing in the Street"!) 
• Earth, Wind & Fire: Renowned for their highly energetic, elaborate, and theatrical stage shows, EWF brought their precise horn sections, cosmic imagery, and multi-genre R&B, funk, and jazz catalog to the arena during their peak 1970s run. 
• Parliament-Funkadelic: Led by the cosmic visionary George Clinton, P-Funk brought their legendary intergalactic stage shows and massive horn sections directly to Pembroke Pines. Older concertgoers vividly recall the absolute madness of dancing to "Flash Light" and "Give Up the Funk" inside the sweltering arena. 
• Rick James & The Stone City Band: Rick James brought his legendary "punk-funk" movement to the Sporto multiple times. His high-octane, chaotic performances of hits like "Super Freak" are heavily talked about by South Florida old-timers—especially his infamous, wild 1981 tour stop.
• The Isley Brothers: On July 7, 1980, they headlined an absolute powerhouse funk bill at the Sportatorium. They blew the crowd away with their signature blend of smooth soul and blistering, fuzz-toned funk guitar. 
• The Gap Band: Opening for the Isley Brothers on that same legendary July 1980 night, the Wilson brothers brought their heavy, synth-driven Tulsa funk sound to Broward County, getting the entire arena moving to early hits right before they exploded into global superstars. 
• The S.O.S. Band: Also sharing the stage on that massive 1980 funk bill, they brought a fresh, electronic disco-funk groove to the Sporto just as their massive anthem "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" was dominating the charts.

 

And when the Sportatorium was being built in 1969, that same Sedano’s location was the site of the most amazing, totally forgotten and Last Music Festival of the 1960’s! Everyone talks about Woodstock 69, but did you know there was a Rock Festival here is South Florida that was attended for by about 50K young people, and it included a line up such as The Grateful Dead, B.B. King, Santana, The Allman Brothers Band, Sweetwater and many more?! 

Unfortunately, a hurricane, building decay and the growth of suburban sprawl caused the bulldozing of its culture to build townhouses and strip malls**.** 

The Sporto was torn down in 1993, and today, there isn't even a historical marker to tell kids that rock royalty used to sweat out legendary sets in their neighborhood.

Let's preserve our history. I started a petition to get a proper historical marker or legacy dedication established at the site so this piece of South Florida culture isn't forgotten forever.

Please sign and share the petition here:

Preserve the Legacy of Grateful Dead's Historic Pembroke Pines Show

Who else here is old enough to remember the Sporto? What was your favorite show there? Let's talk!

Yes, located at 17171 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027,  this has got to be one of the most historic places in Broward County that has been forgotten. It was the site of the Hollywood Sportatorium. 

Seriously, next time you are grabbing pastelitos or groceries at the Sedano's on Pines Blvd, take a look at the floor. You are standing exactly where some of the greatest music legends in history on Earth went down.

From 1970 to 1988, that exact plot of land was home to the Hollywood Sportatorium. It was a hot, leaky, chaotic, 15,000+ seat warehouse. Traffic on Pines Blvd was a nightmare because it was just a two-lane road back then. But despite having terrible acoustics and barely any AC, every major rock star in history played right here in Broward County.

The Mind-Blowing Rock Highlights:

• The Grateful Dead (5/22/77): They played a legendary show here that was later immortalized as Dick's Picks Volume 3. Deadheads widely consider this "Sugaree" and "Help>Slip>Franklin's" to be some of the absolute best live versions the band ever performed.
• Santana (1977 & 2/17/79): Carlos Santana brought his mind-bending Latin-rock fusion to the arena multiple times. His legendary 1979 show with Eddie Money opening is one of the most talked-about "Cellar Door Concerts" nights in South Florida history, with people still hunting down the vintage backstage patch passes from that night! 
• Lynyrd Skynyrd (10/15/77): They played the Sportatorium just five days before their tragic plane crash. It was one of the final times the original lineup ever shared a stage.
• Elvis Presley (2/12/77): The King kicked off his 54th tour right here in his iconic "Indian Feather" jumpsuit. It was one of his very last major Florida appearances before he passed away six months later.
• Queen (2/19/77 & 11/78): Freddie Mercury blew the roof off the place during the peak of their global dominance.
• And everyone else: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon tour, Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Nirvana, Rush, and Bruce Springsteen all graced that stage.

And it wasn't just rock and roll—the Sporto was a massive hub for Funk and R&B. Legends like Parliament-Funkadelic, Rick James, Earth Wind & Fire, and the Isley Brothers brought the absolute heaviest bass lines in history to Pembroke Pines, turning that giant warehouse into one massive dance floor. 

The Masters of Funk & Soul

• Marvin Gaye (9/10/77): The Prince of Soul brought his smooth, legendary vocals to the sweltering arena at the absolute height of the venue's historic 1977 run. (Fun fact: The Grateful Dead actually closed their famous May '77 show at the Sporto covering his anthem "Dancing in the Street"!) 
• Earth, Wind & Fire: Renowned for their highly energetic, elaborate, and theatrical stage shows, EWF brought their precise horn sections, cosmic imagery, and multi-genre R&B, funk, and jazz catalog to the arena during their peak 1970s run. 
• Parliament-Funkadelic: Led by the cosmic visionary George Clinton, P-Funk brought their legendary intergalactic stage shows and massive horn sections directly to Pembroke Pines. Older concertgoers vividly recall the absolute madness of dancing to "Flash Light" and "Give Up the Funk" inside the sweltering arena. 
• Rick James & The Stone City Band: Rick James brought his legendary "punk-funk" movement to the Sporto multiple times. His high-octane, chaotic performances of hits like "Super Freak" are heavily talked about by South Florida old-timers—especially his infamous, wild 1981 tour stop.
• The Isley Brothers: On July 7, 1980, they headlined an absolute powerhouse funk bill at the Sportatorium. They blew the crowd away with their signature blend of smooth soul and blistering, fuzz-toned funk guitar. 
• The Gap Band: Opening for the Isley Brothers on that same legendary July 1980 night, the Wilson brothers brought their heavy, synth-driven Tulsa funk sound to Broward County, getting the entire arena moving to early hits right before they exploded into global superstars. 
• The S.O.S. Band: Also sharing the stage on that massive 1980 funk bill, they brought a fresh, electronic disco-funk groove to the Sporto just as their massive anthem "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" was dominating the charts.

 

And when the Sportatorium was being built in 1969, that same Sedano’s location was the site of the most amazing, totally forgotten and Last Music Festival of the 1960’s! Everyone talks about Woodstock 69, but did you know there was a Rock Festival here is South Florida that was attended for by about 50K young people, and it included a line up such as The Grateful Dead, B.B. King, Santana, The Allman Brothers Band, Sweetwater and many more?! 

Unfortunately, a hurricane, building decay and the growth of suburban sprawl caused the bulldozing of its culture to build townhouses and strip malls**.** 

The Sporto was torn down in 1993, and today, there isn't even a historical marker to tell kids that rock royalty used to sweat out legendary sets in their neighborhood.

Let's preserve our history. I started a petition to get a proper historical marker or legacy dedication established at the site so this piece of South Florida culture isn't forgotten forever.

Please sign and share the petition here:

Preserve the Legacy of Grateful Dead's Historic Pembroke Pines Show

Who else here is old enough to remember the Sporto? What was your favorite show there? Let's talk!

Here is a historical information page from Florida Music Tours: Sportatorium - Florida Music Tour 

May 22, 1977. Hollywood Sportatorium. Pembroke Pines, Florida.

The Morning Dew that stops time. The Terrapin Station that built to something almost unbearable. The show Dick Latvala signed on the Dick's Picks Vol. 3 insert declaring it a uniquely "magical show."

"5-22-77 tears apart Ithaca. It rips it to shreds." — Dick Latvala

The Sportatorium is gone. A Sedano's supermarket now stands at 17171 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines where legends played. But May 22, 2027 marks exactly 50 years.

If someone organized a proper 50th anniversary celebration at the Sporto in South Florida — back in the city where it happened — would you travel for it?

And if you came, who would be your dream lineup?

— A beloved national artist sitting in with a top-tier local Dead band performing the complete 5/22/77 setlist?
— Someone specific who would get you to buy a plane or bus ticket?
— Warren Haynes? Oteil? John Kadlecik? Melvin Seals? DSO? An all-star jam?

This community's voice genuinely matters. Who would bring you home to Pembroke Pines?

We love Grateful Pembroke Pines 🤍

Five twenty two seventy seven. If you know, you know.

The Hollywood Sportatorium in Pembroke Pines, Florida. One of the most transcendent nights in the entire catalog. Peter Lavezzoli called it a peak milestone in American improvisational rock in DeadBase 50. The Morning Dew alone is worth the price of admission for eternity.

The building has been gone since 1993. But the 50th anniversary is coming — May 2027 — and South Florida wants to bring the family home.

If a weekend celebration were organized right here where it happened, what would make you book the flight?

1. Who is your dream guest artist for a night like this?
2. Would you rather see a full faithful recreation of the 5/22/77 setlist or a celebration of the whole era?
3. Does the historical significance of the actual site matter to you — being in the city where this legendary night happened?

Deadheads traveled the country following this band for decades.

Would you travel to Florida to celebrate one of the greatest nights they ever played?

Don't forget to support the Preservation of music in South Florida.
Petition · Preserve the Legacy of Grateful Dead's Historic Pembroke Pines May 22, 1977 Show! - United States · Change.org

We love Grateful Pembroke Pines ❤️

For those who don't know: the Hollywood Sportatorium at 17171 Pines Blvd was South Florida's greatest rock venue. Queen, AC/DC, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Santana, Elvis, Boston, the Grateful Dead — they all played there. It closed in 1988 and was demolished in 1993.

A Sedano's supermarket now stands on sacred ground.

(Honestly, should Sedano's honor the legacy with a limited edition "Supernatural '77" menu? An "Oye Como Va" Bistec or Jamón sandwich, "Flor de Luna" side of plantains, and a "Smooth" guava blend? Just saying. The least they could do.)

May 2027 marks the 50th anniversary of what many consider the greatest concert ever recorded there — the Grateful Dead's 5/22/77 show.

If a one-day outdoor music festival at ArtsPark at Young Circle in Hollywood celebrating the entire Sportatorium era — all the bands, all the memories, the whole magical year of 1977... would you go?

A few questions for the community:

1. Did you ever go to a show at the Sporto? Any band, any year?
2. Would you come to a festival like this?
3. What was you favorite show at the Sporto?
4. Would you share your story on camera for a permanent historical archive? Anyone who brings a ticket stub or authentic photo from a Sportatorium show gets a free commemorative certificate and merch — your own piece of history.

What artists or tribute bands would get you there?

🎵"Yo le digo, caballero. Que los niños le quieren jugar."🎵

The building is gone. The stories don't have to be.

📍 17171 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines — go pay your respects next time you need groceries.
"Let the Children Play" 🎵

*Don't forget to "*Preserve the Music"

We love Grateful Pembroke Pines ❤️
Petition · Preserve the Legacy of Grateful Dead's Historic Pembroke Pines May 22, 1977 Show! - United States · Change.org

On May 22, 1977, the Grateful Dead played the Hollywood Sportatorium in what's now Pembroke Pines, FL — a show widely considered one of the best of the band's career. According to the band's own 1977 tour itinerary, Garcia and the band stayed at the Diplomat Hotel on Hollywood Beach the night of the show.

The performance is legendary for a stretch sung entirely by Garcia — Eyes of the World > Wharf Rat > Terrapin Station > Morning Dew — the only time in Dead history four songs were sung consecutively by him. It later became Dick's Picks Volume 3, released as something of a memorial after Garcia's passing in 1995. The band's own archivist, Dick Latvala, wrote in his journal: "May 22 tears apart."

One more wild detail: this isn't even Pembroke Pines' first brush with Dead history. On December 28, 1969 — almost 8 years before the legendary '77 show — the band played "Mason's Children" here, only the 4th time they'd ever performed it live. It went on to be played just 19 times total before being retired in February 1970. Pembroke Pines has a real claim to two genuinely rare moments in Grateful Dead history, eight years apart.

Nearly 50 years later, there's a real push underway to get the '77 recording formally recognized — including a petition for a Library of Congress National Recording Registry nomination and recognition for the archivists who preserved it, like Betty Cantor-Jackson, Charlie Miller, and Rob Eaton. If you think this performance deserves it, the petition's linked below. And I'd love to hear if anyone here has memories of this show, or saw the Dead live around this era — always great to hear those stories.

Petition----- ➡️Petition · Preserve the Legacy of Grateful Dead's Historic Pembroke Pines May 22, 1977 Show! - United States · Change.org

On May 22, 1977, the Grateful Dead performed at the Hollywood Sportatorium, located in what is now the parking lot at Sedanos supermarket at 17171 Pines Blvd, in Pembroke Pines, FL 33027. Nearly 50 years later, fans, historians, and archivists still regard it as one of the greatest performances in the band's history.

The Grateful Dead's own official archivist, Dick Latvala, wrote in his journal: "May 22 tears apart." Grateful Dead historian Pete Lavezzoli, writing in DeadBase, called it "certainly among the top five [shows] of all time."

The concert was later released as the official album Dick's Picks Volume 3**,** helping introduce generations of listeners to this legendary performance.

Today, I'm working to make sure this piece of local music history gets the recognition it deserves. I've launched a petition asking the City of Pembroke Pines to consider declaring an annual "Grateful Pembroke Pines Day" and to honor the individuals who helped preserve recordings like this one for future generations. There's also an effort underway to nominate the recording to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry, which recognizes recordings of lasting cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance to the United States.

This is about preserving Pembroke Pines' place in American music history. If that resonates with you, here's the petition:

Petition · Preserve the Legacy of Grateful Dead's Historic Pembroke Pines May 22, 1977 Show! - United States · Change.org

Whether you're a longtime Deadhead, a music fan, or simply proud of Pembroke Pines history, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

❤️ We Love Grateful Pembroke Pines!

The Grateful Dead's May 22, 1977 performance at the Hollywood Sportatorium in Pembroke Pines, Florida is often cited as one of the greatest shows of the band's career.

Dick Latvala — the Dead's official tape archivist — wrote in his journal: "May 22 tears apart."

Nearly 50 years later, many of us are still listening to the legendary Sugaree, Eyes of the World, Wharf Rat, and the rest of the show.

As Pete Lavezzoli, drummer of Crazy fingers and Grateful Dead historian, wrote in his published Dead base review of this performance: "This classic May 1977 performance shows Jerry in the best possible light, musically and especially vocally... This show is certainly among the top five of all time."

I'm working on a community effort to:

• Recognize Betty Cantor-Jackson, Charlie Miller, and Rob Eaton for their contributions to preserving this recording.
• Encourage a Library of Congress National Recording Registry nomination.
• Petition the Mayor of Pembroke Pines Florida declare May 22 as Grateful Pembroke Pines Day.

I'm curious:

Do you think Pembroke Pines 5/22/77 deserves consideration for the National Recording Registry?

You can listen to the best Internet Archive version of the show here. 5/22/77

Many people who went to that show, claim that this show was a very magical show for them, Jerry and the band, including Dick Latava. Recent research of this show at the University of Santa Cruz Archives, uncovered that this was supposed to be the last show of the tour, and they added (those two extra cities) in the last minute. Jerry and the band stayed at the Diplomat in Hollywood Florida.

I'd love to hear people's thoughts and memories of the show.

Petition to Nominate Pembroke Pines 5/22/77 to the Library of Congress