McCarthey Athletic Center
The New Kennel, K2, The Kennel | |
 | |
| Location | 801 N. Cincinnati St. Spokane, WA 99258 |
|---|---|
| Owner | Gonzaga University |
| Operator | Gonzaga University |
| Capacity | 6,000 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | November 19, 2004 |
| Construction cost | $25 million |
| Architect | ASLC & Ellerbe Becket |
| Tenants | |
| Gonzaga Bulldogs (men's and women's basketball) (West Coast Conference, NCAA) | |
McCarthey Athletic Center or "MAC" is a 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Spokane, Washington. The arena opened in 2004. It is home to the Gonzaga University Bulldogs basketball program, and is often called "The New Kennel". This nickname was inherited from the school's former basketball arena, Charlotte Y. Martin Centre, popularly known as "The Kennel," which had been home to the Bulldogs for 39 years. As the MAC has become the established basketball arena on campus it's nickname as "The New Kennel" is gradually becoming "The Kennel" with the Charlotte Y. Martin centre being known as the "Martin Center."
The arena's naming rights went to the McCarthey's of Salt Lake City, as a result of major gifts by Gonzaga Trustee Philip McCarthey and Regent Thomas McCarthey. Both are Gonzaga alumni and former owners of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Not only has it hosted basketball games for the women's and men's teams, it has also served as the venue for concerts by Switchfoot, Yellowcard, Ben Folds, and comedians Bill Cosby and Jeff Foxworthy.
In 2006, the West Coast Conference post-season tournament came to the McCarthey Center, marking the first time the event had ever been held in Spokane, as the original "Kennel" was considered too small to host the event and the larger Spokane Arena was unavailable due to annual scheduling conflicts.
After 38 consecutive wins in the McCarthey Athletic Center and a 50-game win streak dating back to the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre, Santa Clara University's Broncos ended what was, at the time, the longest home win streak in the NCAA. As of January 16, 2009, there have only been three Gonzaga mens' basketball losses in the building: Santa Clara (2007), Washington State (2007), and Portland State (2008).