Bender Arena

Bender Arena

The American University's Washington College of Law Graduation Ceremony in Bender Arena
Location 4400 Massachusetts Avenue
Washington, DC, United States
Owner American University
Operator American University
Capacity Basketball and Volleyball: 4,500
Concerts: 6,000
Surface Hardwood
Construction
Broke ground 1985
Opened January 23, 1988
Renovated 1998
Construction cost $20 million
($40.1 million in 2016 dollars[1])
Architect Daniel F. Tulley and Associates
Tenants
American University Eagles Basketball, Volleyball and Wrestling

Coordinates: 38°56′16″N 77°5′24″W / 38.93778°N 77.09000°W / 38.93778; -77.09000

Bender Arena is a 4,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Washington, DC. The arena opened in 1988. It is home to the American University Eagles basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams.

The arena, named for Washington DC philanthropists, Howard and Sondra Bender, is also the primary campus venue for concerts, commencement and speakers, seating up to 6,000.

The arena's main court is named for the late former American University athletic director and coach Stafford H. "Pop" Cassell, another AU alum. Bender Arena's current main scoreboard, installed prior to the 2001-02 season, includes a 7-by-9-foot animation and video display and advertising signage for corporate sponsors. At the same time new chairback seating for the west bleachers was installed and new back-lit scorers tables surrounding the playing surface were added.

Bender Arena has a 6,000 person capacity for concerts.

Bender Arena is the flagship facility of the American University Sports Center, which also includes a fitness center, the Reeves Aquatic Center, a mini-mall, the campus store, and a 470-car, seven-level parking garage.

The 300,000-square-foot (28,000 m2) building is adjacent to the Mary Graydon Center, a design intended to increase campus interaction. AU students are able to go to class, have dinner, attend a game or concert and stop by the Tavern or The Eagles Nest convenience store for refreshments without ever leaving the confines of the building. In addition, the facility houses the athletics department and health and fitness offices. Both buildings virtually mark the geographic center of the American University campus.

Bender hosted the 2002, 2008, and 2009 Patriot League men's basketball tournament final and 2012 National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic.

Bender Arena, configured for basketball.

References

  1. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved October 21, 2016.

External links


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/26/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.