Williams Arena
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Williams Arena is on the campus of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Initially known as the Minnesota Fieldhouse (another building has that name today), it was constructed in the 1920s and opened in 1928. The arena was remodeled in the 1950s, and renamed Williams Arena after Dr. Henry L. Williams. It was divided into two separate arenas within one building. The larger one houses the men's and women's Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball teams. The smaller arena was originally used by the ice hockey team until the early 1990s, when it relocated across the street to a new arena. That smaller arena, known as the Sports Pavillion, now houses the volleyball, wrestling and gymnastic teams.
1928–1950 | 14,100 |
1950–1971 | 18,025 |
1971–1987 | 17,500 |
1987–1993 | 16,434 |
1993–present | 14,321 |
From 1950 until the opening of Marriott Center at Brigham Young University in 1971, it had the largest capacity of any collegiate basketball arena in the country. Also, it is one of only a few basketball stadiums that still has a raised floor. Memorial Gymnasium at Vanderbilt University and Robertson Memorial Field House at Bradley University are two other arenas with raised floors. The Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University was also constructed around 1928, and held the honor of being the highest capacity arena until the remodeling of Williams Arena in 1950.