Began as West Melbourne Stadium in 1913.
Festival Hall was built by John Wren in 1915 and became metropolitan Melbourne’s main venue for boxing and wrestling.
The structure was rebuilt in 1956 after being burnt down the year before, and was the Olympic Games venue for gymnastics, boxing and wrestling.
In the 1950s and 1960s it became an entertainment centre, with famous appearances including Bill Haley, Frank Sinatra and the Beatles. By the 1990s it had been overtaken by more spectacular venues, but the Wren family remained in ownership.
In 2018, plans were announced for the demolition of Festival Hall and the development of the site into Apartments. A heritage listing on the famous Festival Hall was imposed to save the structure.