Mabee Center

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Mabee Center
Mabee Center on the campus of Oral Roberts University.jpg
Location7777 South Lewis Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74171
Coordinates36°02′52″N 95°57′21″W / 36.04789°N 95.95573°W / 36.04789; -95.95573Coordinates: 36°02′52″N 95°57′21″W / 36.04789°N 95.95573°W / 36.04789; -95.95573
OwnerOral Roberts University
OperatorOral Roberts University
Capacitytheatre: 2,774–4,064
end stage: 7,000–9,000
full house/basketball: 10,554–11,300
SurfaceMulti-surface
Construction
Broke ground1970
Opened1972
ArchitectFrank Wallace
Structural engineerLloyd W. Abbott
Tenants
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (Men's NCAA Basketball) (1972–present)

Mabee Center is an 11,300-seat multi-purpose arena, located on the campus of Oral Roberts University, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States.[1] The building opened in 1972 and was designed by architect Frank Wallace, who designed most of the buildings on the ORU campus. It carries the name of Tulsa oilman John Mabee,[2] whose foundation donated $1 million toward its construction.[1][3]

An adjacent building, smaller but similar in shape, is known as "Baby Mabee" and houses a television production studio.[4][3]

Mabee Center opened in 1972 and has hosted the NAIA national men's basketball championship (1994–1998), five NCAA men's first-round or regional tournaments (1974, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1985)[5] and the Midwestern City Conference (now Horizon League) men's basketball conference tournaments (1982, 1985).

It is home to the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles men's and women's basketball teams. It was Eastern Oklahoma's largest arena until the BOK Center was built.

A soundboard recording made at the venue of Elvis Presley's first tour show of 1974, from March 1, was recently released as part of the Follow That Dream release, "Elvis - Sold Out!".

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Bill Haisten, "Still Fine at 40: Built in 1972, ORU’s Mabee Center remains an effective venue today." Tulsa World, December 21, 2012. Reprinted here.
  2. ^ John Mabee, Tulsa Historical Society 1995 Honorees (accessed 2014-02-07).
  3. ^ a b David Edwin Harrell, Jr., Oral Roberts: An American Life (Indiana University Press, 1985), ISBN 978-0253114419, pp. 225, 398, & passim. Excerpts available at Google Books.
  4. ^ "Oral Roberts has reason to rejoice", Associated Press at ESPN.com, March 12, 2006.
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2009-05-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links[]

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