Gill Coliseum

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Gill Coliseum
Ralph Miller Court
Gill Coliseum 2016 CivilWar.jpg
Civil War against Oregon in January 2016
Gill Coliseum is located in Oregon
Gill Coliseum
Gill Coliseum
Location in Oregon
Former namesOregon State Coliseum
(1949–66)
Location660 Southwest 26th Street
Corvallis, Oregon
Coordinates44°33′41″N 123°16′50″W / 44.5613°N 123.2805°W / 44.5613; -123.2805Coordinates: 44°33′41″N 123°16′50″W / 44.5613°N 123.2805°W / 44.5613; -123.2805
OwnerOregon State University
OperatorOregon State University
Capacity9,604 (2011–present)[1]
10,400 (1984–2011)
10,000 (1949–1984)
Construction
Broke groundJune 5, 1947[2]
OpenedDecember 16, 1949 [3][4][5]
Construction cost$1.842 million[3][4][5]
($20 million in 2020[6]
ArchitectJones and Marsh[5]
General contractorJ. C. Watts Construction Company[5]
Tenants
Oregon State Beavers (NCAA)
OSAA Class 5A State Basketball Championships (1999–2006, 2007–2014) partial schedule

Gill Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena in the northwest United States, located on the campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. Opened 72 years ago in late 1949,[3][4][5][7] the arena has a seating capacity of 9,604 and is home to the Oregon State Beavers' basketball, wrestling, volleyball, and gymnastics teams.[1] It is named after basketball coach Amory T. "Slats" Gill, who compiled a 599–392 (.604) record in 36 seasons—from 1928 to 1964.

The court is named for another OSU head coach, Ralph Miller, who led the basketball program from 1971 to 1989. The building also houses a weight room, equipment center, locker rooms, and offices for the Oregon State University athletic department and its teams. Inside, on the south wall of Gill Coliseum is a painted mural of many former players, including Gary Payton, Brent Barry, AC Green, Lester Conner, and Steve Johnson.

The elevation at street level is approximately 230 feet (70 m) above sea level.

History[]

Prior to the construction of Gill Coliseum, intercollegiate basketball games were hosted in the Oregon Agricultural College Gymnasium,[8] constructed in 1914.[9] which continues to stand as the current Langton Hall.[8]

Gill Coliseum opened in December 1949,[3][4][5] and housed the Horner Museum in the basement until the museum's closure in 1995.[10]

NCAA Tournament[]

Gill Coliseum has hosted Western region games in the NCAA Tournament 11 times (1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1983). The most recent in 1983 was the West sub-regional of the 52-team tournament. It included eventual champion North Carolina State; in their opener on Friday night, the sixth-seeded Wolfpack (20–10) was down six points to #11 Pepperdine with less than a minute to go in the first overtime, then rallied and won in double overtime. It was the late game and finished after 2 am EST.[11][12]

Other features[]

The facility has a sports medicine center, located on the lower level of the coliseum, that provides injury prevention and rehabilitation services. The center includes cardiovascular equipment and improved training facilities. Part of a $7 million renovation of the arena in 2009 included making Gill compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.[13] The renovation also included sandblasting the exterior and applying new paint. New windows were installed on the east and west sides of the coliseum.[13] The court has gone numerous remodels as Oregon State has updated their branding. Prior to the 2013–14 season, the court was updated to reflect the athletic department's re-branding along with some graphics surrounding the lower seating.[citation needed]

Construction of the Sports Performance Center (SPC) began in early 2007, and work was completed in spring 2008. The building is located between Gill Coliseum and the Tommy Prothro Football Complex. The SPC houses a practice facility for wrestling and offices for the weight training staff. The 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2) building is the home to over $500,000 in training equipment and a four-lane 60-yard (55 m) sprint track. The four-story facility includes two full-size regulation courts and basketball offices which opened in June 2013.[14]

Gallery[]

  • The exterior of Gill Coliseum in 1956

  • The facade of Gill Coliseum photographed in May 2008

  • A basketball game in Gill Coliseum, circa 1956

  • The basketball court at Gill Coliseum in 2007

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Oregon State (12–7, 2–5) vs. USC 5–14, 0–6)" (PDF). Oregon State Athletics. January 20, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  2. ^ "The Daily Barometer Index". Social Science Humanities Department Oregon State University Library. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "OSC plays first contest in new cage coliseum". Eugene Register-Guard. December 16, 1949. p. 18A.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Strite, Dick (December 17, 1949). "OSC wins first game on new floor, trip Utes". Eugene Register Guard. (Oregon). p. 10.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f "Coliseum Dedication Program". University of Oregon. January 12, 1951. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  6. ^ 1634 to 1699: 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 ofthe 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 January 1, 2020.
  7. ^ "Northwest hoops teams winners; Vandals beaten". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 17, 1949. p. 8.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Legendary Hoop Star Red Rocha, Tower of the 'Thrill Kids,' Dies" (PDF). Oregon Stater. OSU Alumni Association. 95 (2): 32. Spring 2010.
  9. ^ OAC's New Gym, Scene of Commencement Activities," Corvallis Gazette-Times, vol. 6, no. 28 (June 4, 1914), pg. 1.
  10. ^ Tomlinson, Stuart (August 26, 2014). "Presidential tokens stolen from Oregon State University museum returned 50 years later". The Oregonian. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  11. ^ Withers, Bud (March 19, 1983). "Wolfpack claws past the Waves". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1B.
  12. ^ "Whittenburg helps Wolfpack edge by Pepperdine, 69-67". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 19, 1983. p. 2C.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b "Barrels of paint for Gill; big plans for the area" (PDF). Oregon Stater. 94 (3): 48. Fall 2009.
  14. ^ Schnell, Lindsay (June 11, 2013). "Oregon State Celebrates Opening of Basketball Practice Facility". The Oregonian. Portland, OR. Retrieved June 12, 2013.

External links[]

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