Operator University at Buffalo Broke ground 1978 Opened 3 December 1982 Owner University at Buffalo | Surface Multi-surface Architect Robert Trayham Coles Capacity 15,750 | |
 | ||
Location 175 Webster Road
Amherst, NY 14221 Construction cost $26,309,000
($65.3 million in 2017 dollars) Team Buffalo Bulls men's basketball Similar University at Buffalo Stadium, Center for the Arts - University, The Rapids Theatre, KeyBank Center, Memorial Athletic and Conv | ||
Alumni Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Amherst, New York. The arena is home to the State University of New York at Buffalo men's and women's basketball teams, the women's volleyball team, and wrestling team. The facility currently seats 6,100 people.
Description
"The Recreation and Athletics Complex (RAC) on the University's North Campus includes Alumni Arena, a $12.5 million Phase II Building and a $1.5 million outdoor playing fields complex."
"Alumni Arena's main gymnasium is home to the Bulls men's and women's basketball teams, wrestling team and the women's volleyball team." "The largest "free-floating" hardwood floor in the United States at the time it was built, it features basketball, volleyball and badminton courts circled by a 200-meter track and seating for 6,100 spectators following renovations during the summer of 2004."
The arena used to seat more than 8,000 people, but a renovation project funded by the Blue & White club reduced the seating to 6,100 by eliminating bleachers and adding chairbacks. The student section was relocated with the renovations. Before the renovations, the students used to generally sit behind the scorer's table, from baseline to baseline, except immediately behind the players' benches. Syracuse's Carrier Dome is the only on-campus college basketball facility in the state that is larger. The volleyball court was constructed for the World University Games in 1993.
"The building includes three levels of offices, locker rooms, equipment and training-therapy rooms, seminar rooms, and racquetball courts." "The Phase II Building on the north side of Alumni Arena has an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a separate diving well, a triple gymnasium, and dance studio." "Other areas are a wrestling practice room, two weight-training rooms (a fitness center and a varsity weight room), additional racquetball and squash courts, an erg room, and an aerobics room."
Behind Alumni Arena, a playing fields complex provides lighted outdoor space for several sports, including soccer, field hockey, softball, tennis, basketball, handball and archery.
In 2011, the lighting and sound systems in the arena were upgraded to state-of-the-art quality. A new video and scoring system was also installed.
On February 3, 2012, the Harlem Globetrotters played on the Bulls court. On August 22, 2013, President Barack Obama spoke to a sold-out crowd at Alumni Arena about the rising costs of college tuition.