ExtraMile Arena facts for kids
View from southeast in 2009
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 Boise
Location in the United States
Boise
Location in Idaho
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| Former names | BSU Pavilion (1982–2004) Taco Bell Arena (2004–19) |
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| Address | 1401 Bronco Lane |
| Location | Boise State University Boise, Idaho, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 43°36′13″N 116°11′56″W / 43.6035°N 116.199°W |
| Elevation | 2,700 feet (825 m) AMSL |
| Owner | Boise State University |
| Capacity | 12,644 (basketball) Detailed capacity
Center stage: 13,390
Half-house: 6,795 Theatre: 4,292 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | February 1980 |
| Opened | May 16, 1982 |
| Construction cost | $17.5 million ($62.2 million in 2022) |
| Architect | CSHQA |
| Tenants | |
| Boise State Broncos (NCAA) (1982–present) | |
ExtraMile Arena is a big indoor stadium in Boise, Idaho. It is part of Boise State University. This arena is a place where many exciting events happen. It was once called the BSU Pavilion and later the Taco Bell Arena.
The arena is home to the Boise State Broncos basketball and gymnastics teams. It can hold 12,644 people for basketball games. The floor of the arena is about 2,700 feet above sea level.
Besides sports, ExtraMile Arena hosts concerts and community events. It has a large floor space for trade shows. In April 2013, it even held a Davis Cup tennis match between the U.S. and Serbia.
Contents
Welcome to ExtraMile Arena!
A Look Back: How the Arena Started
From Bronco Gym to a Big Arena
Before ExtraMile Arena, there was Bronco Gymnasium. This smaller gym opened in the mid-1950s. The last basketball game there was in February 1982. It was a big game against rival Idaho. The gym was packed with a record 3,946 fans.
Building the Arena
Plans for the new arena began a long time ago. Architects from CSHQA in Boise were chosen in 1978. Construction started on February 19, 1980. The new arena was built right next to the old Bronco Gym.
Building the arena meant moving some other sports areas. Tennis courts and part of the baseball field had to be moved. New tennis courts were built west of the arena. Boise State stopped having a baseball team after the 1980 season.
The arena first opened in 1982 as the BSU Pavilion. Its very first event was a graduation ceremony on May 16. Later that year, it hosted a big event with Billy Graham. The first major sports event was an NCAA basketball tournament in March 1983.
New Names for a Famous Place
The arena got its first sponsor in 2004. Taco Bell, a fast-food company, paid $4 million for the naming rights. For 15 years, the arena was known as Taco Bell Arena.
When that agreement ended in 2019, Boise State made a new deal. They partnered with ExtraMile, a convenience store chain. This new 15-year deal was worth $8.4 million. That is how the arena became ExtraMile Arena.
Exciting Basketball Moments
Big Sky Conference Games
When the Broncos were part of the Big Sky Conference, the arena hosted their men's basketball tournaments four times. These were in 1985, 1989, 1990, and 1994. In 1989, the Broncos made it to the finals. In 1994, they won the championship title!
NCAA Tournament Thrills
ExtraMile Arena has often hosted early games for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. It has welcomed teams nine times, including in 1983, 1989, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2018. It was supposed to host again in 2021, but the tournament moved due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One famous moment happened in 1995. UCLA guard Tyus Edney ran the entire court in just over four seconds. He scored a layup that gave UCLA a 75–74 win over Missouri. This amazing play helped UCLA win the national title that year.
In 2001, the arena saw some very close games. Four games on March 15 were decided by a total of only seven points. One big surprise was when Hampton beat #2 seed Iowa State 58–57. This was only the fourth time a #15 seed had won since the tournament got bigger in 1985.
See also
In Spanish: Taco Bell Arena para niños
- List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas
