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Tom Gola Arena

Coordinates: 40°02′24″N 75°09′24″W / 40.039993°N 75.15654°W / 40.039993; -75.15654
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Tom Gola Arena
The Gola
Map
Former namesHayman Hall
Location1900 West Olney Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19141
Coordinates40°02′24″N 75°09′24″W / 40.039993°N 75.15654°W / 40.039993; -75.15654
Public transitBus transport SEPTA bus: 18, 26
OwnerLa Salle University
OperatorLa Salle University
Capacity3,400
SurfaceHardwood
Construction
Broke groundMay 17, 1997
OpenedFebruary 21, 1998[2]
ClosedMarch 3, 2024
DemolishedMarch - April, 2024
Construction cost$6.3 million
($11.8 million in 2023 dollars[1])
ArchitectEwingCole (Hayman Hall Addition)
Tenants
La Salle Explorers (men's basketball, women's basketball)

Tom Gola Arena (also known as The Tom or The Gola) was a 3,400-seat multi-purpose arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania situated inside the TruMark Financial Center. It was home to the La Salle University Explorers men's and women's basketball teams.

This arena was named after former Explorers captain and head coach Tom Gola, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

History

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The building was opened on February 21, 1998, with the men's basketball team defeating Virginia Tech 74–64.[2] La Salle had not played basketball on campus since leaving Wister Hall in 1955, the season after winning the 1954 NCAA Championship. The Explorers played at the Palestra from 1955 to 1989, the Philadelphia Civic Center from 1989 to 1996, and the First Union Spectrum from 1996 until the arena opened in 1998. The arena hosted its final game on March 2nd, 2024, with the men’s basketball team defeating George Washington 72-66.

In Philadelphia's 2016 Summer Olympics bid, the arena was planned to host fencing.[3]

In 2021, Adam Sandler used the Tom Gola Arena to film the Netflix movie Hustle.[4] The arena was also equipped with two working smoke machines.[5]

In 2023, it was announced that the 23-24 season would be the last season the Explorers played in the Tom Gola Arena. Plans for a renovated arena were announced, rotating the court to allow for a bowl style arena. The Tom Gola namesake would be changed to John Glaser Arena, after his donation for the renovations.[6]

See also

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References

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  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.
  2. ^ a b "La Salle Men's Basketball 2018-19 Media Guide" (PDF). La Salle University Athletics. November 18, 2018. p. 64. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  3. ^ "2016 Olympic venues". Archived from the original on 2006-06-16.
  4. ^ "Adam Sandler Films Movie Scene At La Salle University - CBS Philadelphia". www.cbsnews.com. 2021-09-10. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  5. ^ McQuade, Dan (December 8, 2021). "Behold The Glory Of The La Salle University Smoke Machine". Defector Media.
  6. ^ "La Salle University Unveils Basketball Arena Renovation Project". La Salle University Athletics. 2024-10-14. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
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