Convocation Center (Northern Illinois University)

Convocation Center
Location	1525 West Lincoln Highway; DeKalb, Illinois, 60115-2854, US
Coordinates	41°56′6.38″N88°47′8.05″W / 41.9351056°N 88.7855694°W
Public transit	DeKalb Public Transit
Owner	Northern Illinois University
Operator	Northern Illinois University
Capacity	10,000
Surface	Hardwood
Construction
Broke ground	2000
Opened	August 30, 2002
Construction cost	$36 million; ($61 million in 2023 dollars)
Architect	A. Epstein & Sons International
General contractor	Turner Construction
Tenants
	NIU men's basketball (2002–present) NIU women's basketball (present)

Last updated November 14, 2024

Northern Illinois University's Convocation Center is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena, at 1525 W Lincoln Hwy, in DeKalb, Illinois, US.^[3] The arena opened in 2002. The Convocation Center is home to both the Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball and women's basketball teams, volleyball, Wrestling, gymnastics, and women's indoor track and field squads. Previously, the basketball teams played at the Chick Evans Field House. The Convocation Center also houses many other events including the opening convocation ceremony for freshmen, concerts, job fairs, expositions, and the annual graduation ceremony.

The first Northern Illinois athletic event in the new facility happened on August 30, 2002, when the Huskies women's volleyball team defeated IUPUI, 3–1, in the opening round of the Best Western Invitational at Victor E. Court.^[4]

Entertainers that have performed at the center include Bob Dylan (from Minnesota), Bill Cosby, Blue Man Group, Brooks & Dunn, Daughtry in 2012, Sheryl Crow (from Missouri) in 2013, Drake, Dave Chappelle, Sugarland, Goo Goo Dolls, 3 Doors Down, Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Chamillionaire, Chingy (from STL), Rascal Flatts (from Ohio), Michelle Branch, John Mayer, Wayne Brady, O.A.R., Hoobastank, Ludacris (from Illinois, in 2003), Ashlee Simpson, Jason Aldean, REO Speedwagon (from Champaign), Ja Rule, Counting Crows, Jimmy Eat World with Paramore, B.B. King, 311 (from Omaha), Cheap Trick (from Rockford), Joan Jett, Cedric the Entertainer (from STL), Larry the Cable Guy (from Nebraska), Nelly and St. Lunatics in 2005, Ciara, Dierks Bentley, Kanye West (from Oak Lawn, Illinois, in 2005), Twista (from Chicago, in 2005.) Lupe Fiasco (from Chicago, in 2011), Kid Cudi (from Cleveland) in 2013, Incubus, Staind, Big & Rich, Three Days Grace, Casting Crowns, Styx (from Chicago) with Kansas, Jars of Clay (from IL), Gretchen Wilson (from Illinois), Brett Eldredge (from Illinois), Garrison Keillor (from Minnesota), Sesame Street Live, Young Jeezy, T.I., and T-Pain. Saliva with Trapt and other bands in 2016. Thomas Rhett with Kelsea Ballerini in 2017. The Daily Show host Trevor Noah in 2019, Young the Giant in 2019, and Lauren Alaina in 2023.

The arena was also the site of a memorial service held on February 24, 2008, in tribute to the victims of the Northern Illinois University shooting. Bon Jovi was scheduled to rehearse at the arena beginning February 14, 2008, prior to the start of the North American leg of their Lost Highway Tour on February 18 in Omaha, but was forced to start the tour without rehearsals due to the NIU shooting and the subsequent closure of the campus.^[5]

A county-wide meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses takes place here yearly during the second weekend of August.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampton Convocation Center</span>

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Grover Center was originally built to be the home for the Ohio Bobcats men's basketball team. The first men's basketball game in the arena featured the Ohio Bobcats hosting the previous years national champion Ohio State Buckeyes on December 1, 1960 to a sold out crowd. The Ohio Bobcats basketball team only called the Grover Center home from 1960–68 after the much larger Convocation Center opened up December 3, 1968. It is named after former Bobcat coach Butch Grover.

References

↑ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved February 29, 2024.
1 2 Published November 25, 2002. "Convocation Center, Northern Illinois University - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global". SportsBusiness Daily. Retrieved 2014-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
↑ Venue Info - NIU - Convocation Center
↑ "Convo Center". NIUHuskies.com. Retrieved 2014-02-12.
↑ "Bon Jovi Tour Begins In Shadow Of Shootings". Billboard. 2008-02-19. Retrieved 2014-02-12.

External links

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Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
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[inflation-US-1] 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved February 29, 2024.

[SBJ-2] 1 2 Published November 25, 2002. "Convocation Center, Northern Illinois University - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global". SportsBusiness Daily. Retrieved 2014-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[3] Venue Info - NIU - Convocation Center

[4] "Convo Center". NIUHuskies.com. Retrieved 2014-02-12.

[5] "Bon Jovi Tour Begins In Shadow Of Shootings". Billboard. 2008-02-19. Retrieved 2014-02-12.

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v t e Northern Illinois University
Located in: DeKalb, Illinois
Academics	College of Business College of Education College of Engineering and Engineering Technology College of Health and Human Sciences College of Law College of Liberal Arts and Sciences College of Visual and Performing Arts
Campus	Huskie Stadium NIU Convocation Center Chick Evans Field House Ralph McKinzie Field NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex
Athletics	Northern Illinois Huskies Baseball Basketball Men Women Football Gymnastics Soccer Men Women Softball Volleyball Wrestling Mid-American Conference
Media	Northern Star Northern Illinois University Press Northern Public Radio
Miscellaneous	Mass shooting List of Northern Illinois University people
Founded: 1895

v t e Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball
Venues	Chick Evans Field House (1956–2002) Convocation Center (2002–present)
Culture & lore	"Huskie Fight Song" Huskie Band
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25

v t e NCAA Division I college basketball venues in Illinois
A-10	Joseph J. Gentile Arena (Loyola Chicago)
Big East	Wintrust Arena (DePaul men & women) McGrath–Phillips Arena (DePaul women)
Big Ten	State Farm Center (Illinois) Welsh–Ryan Arena (Northwestern)
MAC	Convocation Center (Northern Illinois)
MVC	Carver Arena (Bradley men) Renaissance Coliseum (Bradley women) CEFCU Arena (Illinois State) Banterra Center (Southern Illinois) Credit Union 1 Arena (UIC)
NEC	Jones Convocation Center (Chicago State)
OVC	Lantz Arena (Eastern Illinois) First Community Arena (SIU Edwardsville) Western Hall (Western Illinois)

v t e Music venues of Illinois
Outdoor	Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre Guaranteed Rate Field Huntington Bank Pavilion Jay Pritzker Pavilion Maxwell Street Market Marion Stadium Petrillo Music Shell Ravinia Festival Soldier Field Wrigley Field
Theaters and clubs	Aragon Ballroom Arcada Theater Arie Crown Theater Auditorium Theatre Bottom Lounge Buddy Guy's Legends Chicago Theatre Constellation Coronado Theatre Empty Bottle Foellinger Auditorium Genesee Theatre Green Mill Hideout House of Blues Jazz Showcase Kingston Mines Krannert Center Lincoln Hall Metro Paramount Theatre Park West Peoria Civic Center Theatre Rialto Square Theatre Riviera Theatre Rosemont Theatre Thalia Hall Vic Theatre Virginia Theatre
Arenas	Allstate Arena Bank of Springfield Center Banterra Center BMO Center Credit Union 1 Arena Grossinger Motors Arena NIU Convocation Center Now Arena Peoria Civic Center State Farm Center United Center Vibrant Arena at The MARK Wharton Field House Wintrust Arena
Festivals	Chicago Blues Festival Chicago Jazz Festival Grant Park Music Festival Lollapalooza Pitchfork Music Festival Pygmalion Music Festival Riot Fest Summer Camp Music Festival
Historic venues	Checkerboard Lounge Chicago Coliseum Chicago Stadium Congress Theater Double Door E2 International Amphitheatre The Limelight/Excalibur and Vision/Castle Lounge Ax Neo O'Banion's Poplar Creek Music Theater The Thirsty Whale Uptown Theatre Velvet Lounge West End

Construction


Location	1525 West Lincoln Highway DeKalb, Illinois, 60115-2854, US
Coordinates	41°56′6.38″N88°47′8.05″W / 41.9351056°N 88.7855694°W / 41.9351056; -88.7855694
Public transit	DeKalb Public Transit
Owner	Northern Illinois University
Operator	Northern Illinois University
Capacity	10,000
Surface	Hardwood
Broke ground	2000
Opened	August 30, 2002
Construction cost	$36 million ($61 million in 2023 dollars^[1])
Architect	A. Epstein & Sons International^[2]
General contractor	Turner Construction ^[2]
Tenants
NIU men's basketball (2002–present) NIU women's basketball (present)