U.S.A. Rainbo (Arena) Roller Rink, 4812-4836 North Clark St., Chicago, Illinois

• Operator: United Skates of America Corporation^[1]
• Manager: John Gramm^[2] (1981), John Nielson^[3] (1993), Mark Stern^[10]
• Pro/Coach: Daryl Caston^[5] (1983)
• DJ: Dee^[7] (1992)
• Floor size: 80' x 160'^[1]
• Floor type: Maple wood, clear coated.
• Primary reason for closing: "Building owner wants to tear down Rainbo to make room for condos."^[10]
• Opened (for skating): March 1980^[9] - March 2003^[10]

BUILDING HISTORY SUMMARY^[11]
• 1894 - Roadside Restaurant and Watering Hole.
• 1905 - Additions to the restaurant include a 2nd floor, two-story beer hall, a bowling alley,
an outdoor dance floor, and several stand-alone refreshment stands.
• 1917 - Became known as 'Moulin Rouge Gardens'.
• 1922 - Name changed to 'Rainbo Gardens.' The Rainbo Casino and Rainbo Room were
added in a major renovation.
• 1927 - Outdoor gardens converted into an indoor sports arena called the 'Rainbo Fronton,'
and 'Rainbo Arena' (used for jai-alai, boxing, and wrestling matches).
• 1934 - During the 1934 Chicago World Fair it was known as the 'French Casino'.
• 1939 - Michael Todd reopened the old Rainbo Casino and renamed it the
'Michael Todd's Theatre Cafe.' It was closed after a very short period of time when he
had a falling out with gangsters.
• 1940s - A bowling alley added to the complex.
• 1957 - An ice skating rink was added to the facility.
• 1968 - The Electric Theatre opened.
• 1968-73 - Name changed to Kinetic Playground due to threatened lawsuit.
• 1980 - Rainbo's roller-rink opened.
• 2003 - The building was demolished for condominiums.
-Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.^[11]
The Rainbo Building had a long and interesting history. (See history link below.)

FRRP will only be covering the Rainbo from 1980 - 2003, when it was a roller rink.

Photo at top of page courtesy Chicago Tribune May 12, 2002. (Article below.)