Assembly Hall (Bloomington)
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| Branch McCracken Court | |
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| Location | 1001 East 17th Street Bloomington, Indiana 47408-1590 |
| Broke ground | 1970 |
| Opened | 1972 |
| Owner | Indiana University Bloomington |
| Operator | Indiana University Bloomington |
| Capacity | 17,456 |
| Tenants | |
| Indiana Hoosiers (NCAA) (1972-Present) | |
Assembly Hall is a 17,456-seat arena on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the home of the Indiana Hoosiers basketball teams. It opened in 1971[1], replacing the current Gladstein Fieldhouse. The court is named after Branch McCracken, the men's basketball coach who led the school to its first two NCAA National Championships in 1940 and 1953. Indiana installed a new state-of-the-art playing surface during the summer of 1995. The floor is the latest in court science, which includes added shock absorbers. The new floor also is permanent and covers the entire floor area. New bleacher seats were added, as well, along with a media row and end seating platforms on Lobby Level to give Assembly Hall a "new look".
The building has hosted the NCAA basketball tournament three times, with sub-regional games in 1977 and 1979, and the Midwest regional finals in 1981. In 1972, the Hall hosted games for the Indiana Pacers and the New York Nets during the American Basketball Association Championship.
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[edit] Renovations
In 2005 the school completed construction of a state-of-the-art, $1.9 million scoreboard-video board. It is expected to pull in yearly advertising revenue without costing the athletics department any out-of-pocket expenses. Some Hoosier purists feared the advertisements, which had never before been in Assembly Hall, would ruin the aura and aesthetics.[citation needed]
[edit] Concerts/Speakers[1]
- Bob Hope and Petula Clark (Fall 1971 Football Homecoming)
- Jesus Christ Superstar (Fall 1971)
- The Jackson Five and The Temptations (Spring 1972 Little 500 Concert)
- Stephen Stills and Manassas (October 19, 1972)
- Bob Dylan and The Band (February 1974)
- The Rolling Stones (July 26, 1975)
- Elvis Presley (June 27, 1974 and May 27, 1976)
- Neil Young (solo, 1974)
- The Who (c.1975)
- The Grateful Dead (October 30, 1977)
- Yes (April 10, 1979)
- Jackson Browne (September 14, 1980)
- Molly Hatchet and Blue Oyster Cult (October 26, 1980)
- Eagles (Spring 1980) with all original members
- Brass Theatre featuring The Canadian Brass (1996)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Foo Fighters (2000)
- Bob Dylan and his band, Elvis Costello (solo acoustic) and Amos Lee, (October 19, 2007)
- Former President of the United States Bill Clinton (April 2, 2008)
- Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds (April 7, 2008)
- Hillary Rodham Clinton (April 25, 2008)
- Barack Obama (April 30, 2008)
[edit] Criticisms
Assembly Hall has been criticized by many fans for its design. The facility has two main seating sections, to the left and right of the court, and only ten rows of bleachers by the baskets. The facility also features balconies which are incredibly steep and have reduced visibility.
[edit] New Arena
On June 22nd 2007, Indiana University trustees approved the demolition of Assembly Hall and the construction of a new basketball arena "when appropriate." The trustees decided against renovating the stadium for $115 Million because construction of a new arena would cost $130 Million. Construction of the arena has not begun because funding has not been secured. Sources within the IU Athletic Department have said that the New Louisville Arena, Maryland's Comcast Center, Wisconsin's Kohl Center and the Mizzou Arena are being studied as possible blue prints for the Hoosiers' new arena.
http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=6695408
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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Coordinates: 39°10′51″N 86°31′19″W / 39.18083°N 86.52194°W
