Jon M. Huntsman Center

Last updated
Jon M. Huntsman Center
Utah gymnastics meet.jpg
Red Rocks gymnastics meet in 2008
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Salt Lake City
Location in the United States
USA Utah relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Salt Lake City
Location in Utah
Former namesSpecial Events Center
(1969–1987) [1]
Address1825 E. South Campus Dr.
Location University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Coordinates 40°45′43″N111°50′20″W / 40.762°N 111.839°W / 40.762; -111.839
OwnerUniversity of Utah
OperatorUniversity of Utah
Capacity 15,000 Basketball And Volleyball
Record attendance16,019   (March 6, 2015; gymnastics vs. Michigan)
SurfaceMulti-surface
Construction
Broke ground1967
OpenedNovember 30, 1969;
55 years ago (1969-11-30) [2]
Construction cost $10.392 million
($86.3 million in 2024 [3] )
ArchitectBruce H. Jensen
Tenants
Utah Utes (NCAA Division I)
(men's & women's basketball,
women's gymnastics
and women's volleyball)
2006 NCAA tournament: Boston College vs. Pacific Boston College Eagles vs. University of the Pacific Tigers, First Round, NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, Huntsman Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (114271292) (cropped).jpg
2006 NCAA tournament: Boston College vs. Pacific
Exterior in 2009 Uofu huntsmancenter.jpg
Exterior in 2009

The Jon M. Huntsman Center is a 15,000-seat indoor arena in the western United States, on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. It is the home of the Utah Utes of the Big 12 Conference, the primary venue for basketball and gymnastics.

Contents

History

Opened 54 years ago in late 1969 as the Special Events Center, [2] it succeeded Nielsen Fieldhouse as the campus' primary indoor arena. [2] It was renamed in 1987 in honor of chemicals entrepreneur and philanthropist Jon M. Huntsman (1937–2018), father of Utah's former governor Jon Huntsman, Jr.

From its opening until the completion of the Delta Center in 1991, the Huntsman Center was one of Salt Lake City's premier sports and entertainment venues (along with the Salt Palace (1969–1993), the home of the Utah Stars (ABA) and Utah Jazz (NBA)).

Architecturally, it was once known for its steel cloud, which hung from the arena's silver dome interior. The steel cloud held the arena's center court scoreboard, sound and lighting systems. The scoreboard was upgraded in the 1980s with the addition of state-of-the-art rear projection video screens. The rear projection system was upgraded in 1995, and replaced in 2006 by four LED video screens. In 2014, the arena was renovated again. The $6 million project removed the steel cloud, as well as added a new floor, LED lights, sound system, drapes, and two grand entrances to house a Hall of Fame and Legacy Hall.

On May 12, 1973, The Jackson 5 performed at the center. [4]

The facility hosted the 1989 Western Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament.

In addition to athletics and concerts, the arena has hosted many academic and intellectual events over the years, such as a public lecture by renowned British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking in 1995, which was reported to be the largest live audience that Hawking had ever addressed at that time. [5]

The facility hosted two games of the Utah Jazz Summer League in 2016 due to a concert at Vivint Arena. In 2017, the Utah Jazz Summer League moved to the Huntsman Center for all six games & four teams due to Vivint Arena undergoing renovations.

The 15,000-seat multi-purpose arena is home to the University of Utah's "Runnin' Utes" basketball teams (men's and women's), "Red Rocks" women's gymnastics team and women's volleyball team. It also hosts concerts, mostly second-tier acts; most premier concerts have been hosted at Vivint Arena (Delta Center).

Utah joined the Pac-12 in 2011 and the Huntsman Center became the largest arena in the conference.

The elevation at street level is approximately 4,780 feet (1,455 m) above sea level, second-highest in the Pac-12.

NCAA tournament

The Huntsman Center hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament 12 times (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006). It hosted the West Regional Final twice (1971, 1981) and one Final Four (1979). Due to the frequency of hosting first- and second-round games, the Huntsman Center is third all-time in NCAA Tournament games hosted, with 81.

Since 2010, NCAA tournament games in the city have been played at Delta Center, home of the NBA's Utah Jazz. Other venues for past NCAA games in the state include the Marriott Center in Provo and the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

1979 Final Four

The arena hosted the 1979 Final Four in late March, featuring the start of the rivalry between all-time greats Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. [6] Magic's Michigan State team defeated Bird's previously unbeaten Indiana State in the final on March 26, [7] [8] [9] which remains the most-watched college basketball game in history. Many observers consider the Magic-Bird rivalry established here and carried into the NBA when both entered the league that fall to be a major factor in the league's 1980s renaissance.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Gardner (basketball)</span> American basketball coach (1910–2000)

James H. Gardner was an American college basketball coach, known for his tenures as the head coach at Kansas State University and the University of Utah. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maverik Center</span> Multi-purpose indoor arena in West Valley City, Utah, U.S.

The Maverik Center, originally known as the E Center, is a 12,600-seat multi-purpose indoor arena located in West Valley City, Utah, United States. Construction on the arena started in 1996 and was completed in time to hold its first event on September 22, 1997. The arena is owned by West Valley City, and managed by Centennial Management Group. During the 2002 Winter Olympics it served as the main venue for the ice hockey events, and as the venue for ice sledge hockey during the 2002 Winter Paralympics. Today the arena is home to the Utah Grizzlies along with the Salt Lake City Stars, and it is also a major venue in the area for numerous concerts and live touring productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ICCU Dome</span> Athletic stadium at Idaho State University

The ICCU Dome is an indoor multi-purpose athletic stadium in the western United States, located on the campus of Idaho State University (ISU) in Pocatello, Idaho. It is the home field of the Idaho State Bengals of the Big Sky Conference and sits at an elevation of 4,560 feet (1,390 m) above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament</span> Edition of USA college basketball tournament

The 1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament involved 40 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 9 and ended with the championship game on March 26 in Salt Lake City. A total of 40 games were played, including a national third-place game. This was the tournament's only edition with forty teams; the previous year's had 32, and it expanded to 48 in 1980. The 1979 Indiana State team was the last squad to reach a national title game with an undefeated record for 42 years; their achievement was finally matched by the 2021 Gonzaga Bulldogs, who reached that year's title contest against Baylor with a 31–0 record.

Dan Roberts is an American public address announcer best known for his work for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association. He has held this position since 1979, the entirety of the team's stay in Utah, and is the longest tenured PA announcer in the NBA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta Center</span> Arena in Salt Lake City

Delta Center is an indoor venue in Salt Lake City. Opened in 1991, the arena is the home of the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Utah Hockey Club of the National Hockey League (NHL). The arena has a seating capacity of 18,306 for basketball, up to 16,200 for ice hockey and indoor football, and 20,000 for concerts. It has 56 luxury suites and 668 club seats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Judkins</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1956)

Jeff Reed Judkins is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. He coached the Brigham Young University (BYU) Cougars women's basketball team from 2001 to 2022, after serving as their assistant coach in 2000–01. A 6'6", 185-lb shooting guard, he played college basketball at the University of Utah from 1974 to 1978 and had a career in the NBA from 1978 to 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nielsen Fieldhouse</span>

The Einar Nielsen Fieldhouse was a multi-purpose arena in the western United States, located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Opened 85 years ago in 1939 on the University of Utah campus, it was the home venue of Utes basketball for thirty years, and was formally dedicated on the night of Tuesday, January 9, 1940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013–14 Utah Utes men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2013–14 Utah Runnin' Utes men's basketball team represented the University of Utah during the 2013–14 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They played their home games at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah and were a member of the Pac-12 Conference. The Utes were led by their third year head coach Larry Krystkowiak. Their last game was played in the first round of the NIT, where they lost to the Saint Mary's Gaels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salt Palace (arena)</span> Former sports arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

The Salt Palace was an indoor arena located in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Opened in 1969, the building hosted several professional sport teams, concerts, and other special events before it was closed and demolished in the 1990s to make way for the current Salt Palace Convention Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–15 Utah Utes men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2014–15 Utah Runnin' Utes men's basketball team represented the University of Utah during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They played their home games at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah as members of the Pac-12 Conference. The Utes were led by fourth year head coach Larry Krystkowiak. They finished the season 26–9, 13–5 in Pac-12 play to finish in a tie for second place. They advanced to the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament where they lost to Oregon. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament where they defeated Stephen F. Austin in the second round and Georgetown in the third round to advance to the Sweet Sixteen where they lost to Duke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1979 NCAA Division I basketball championship game</span> Mens college basketball tournament game

The 1979 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship Game was the final of the 1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament and determined the national champion for the 1978–79 season. The game was held on March 26, at the Special Events Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–16 Utah Utes men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2015–16 Utah Runnin' Utes men's basketball team represented the University of Utah during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They played their home games at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City as members of the Pac-12 Conference. The Utes were led by fifth year head coach Larry Krystkowiak. They the season 27–9, 13-5 in Pac-12 play to finish in second place. They defeated USC and California to advance to the championship game of the Pac-12 tournament where they lost to Oregon. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament where they defeated Fresno State in the first round to advance to the second round where they lost to Gonzaga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016–17 Utah Utes men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2016–17 Utah Runnin' Utes men's basketball team represented the University of Utah during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by sixth-year head coach Larry Krystkowiak. They played their home games at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah as members of the Pac-12 Conference. They finished the season 20–12, 11–7 in Pac-12 play to finish in fourth place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament to California. They received an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament where they lost in the first round to Boise State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017–18 Utah Utes men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2017–18 Utah Runnin' Utes men's basketball team represented the University of Utah during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by seventh-year head coach Larry Krystkowiak. They played their home games at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah as members of the Pac-12 Conference. They finished the season 23–12, 11–7 in Pac-12 play to finish in a three-way tie for third place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament to Oregon. They were invited to the National Invitation Tournament where they defeated UC Davis, LSU, Saint Mary's, and Western Kentucky to advance to the championship game where they lost to Penn State.

The 2018 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Sacramento Kings's California Classic Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019–20 Utah Utes men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2019–20 Utah Runnin' Utes men's basketball team represented the University of Utah during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by ninth-year head coach Larry Krystkowiak. They played their home games at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah as members of the Pac-12 Conference. They finished the season 16–15, 7–11 in Pac-12 play to finish in a three-way tie for eighth place. They lost in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament to Oregon State.

The 2021 NBA Summer League was an off-season competition held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) at the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada on the campus of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The summer league consisted of the California Classic, Salt Lake City Summer League, and the Las Vegas NBA Summer League.

The 2022 NBA Summer League, also branded as the NBA 2K23 Summer League 2022, was an off-season competition held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) primarily at the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada on the campus of University of Nevada, Las Vegas from July 7 to 17, 2022. The summer league consisted of the California Classic, Salt Lake City Summer League, and the Las Vegas NBA Summer League.

The 2023 NBA Summer League was an off-season competition held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) primarily at the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the campus of University of Nevada, Las Vegas from July 7 to 17, 2023. The summer league consisted of the California Classic, Salt Lake City Summer League, and the Las Vegas NBA Summer League.

References

  1. ↑ "Attendance and Sites". 2014 Men's Final Four Records Book (PDF). Indianapolis, IN: NCAA Publications. 2014. p. 138. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Scott, Ron (December 2, 1969). "No dust, less noise for Utes". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. B1.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ Cadman, Chris. Michael Jackson: The Maestro. Pg. 668
  5. ↑ "Deseret News: Hawking Gives 9,000 a Cosmic Thrill". 18 July 1995. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  6. ↑ Keith, Ron (April 2, 1979). "They caged the Bird". Sports Illustrated. p. 16.
  7. ↑ "'Magic act' gives MSU NCAA title". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). March 27, 1979. p. A1.
  8. ↑ Ewer, Bill (March 27, 1979). "Magic keeps a promise and MSU reaches NCAA title goal". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 4B.
  9. ↑ "Michigan State grounds Bird - wins title". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 27, 1979. p. 17.
Preceded by NCAA Men's Division I
Basketball tournament
Finals Venue
1979 		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.