Gill Coliseum facts for kids
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Ralph Miller Court
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Civil War against Oregon in January 2016
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 Corvallis
Location in the United States
Corvallis
Location in Oregon
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| Former names | Oregon State Coliseum (1949–66) |
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| Address | 660 Southwest 26th Street |
| Location | Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 44°33′41″N 123°16′50″W / 44.5613°N 123.2805°W |
| Owner | Oregon State University |
| Operator | Oregon State University |
| Capacity | 9,301 (current) 10,400 (1984–2011) 10,000 (1949–1984) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 5, 1947 |
| Opened | December 16, 1949 |
| Construction cost | $1.842 million ($22.7 million in 2022) |
| Architect | Jones and Marsh |
| General contractor | J. C. Watts Construction Company |
| Tenants | |
| Oregon State Beavers (NCAA) OSAA Class 5A State Basketball Championships (1999–2006, 2007–2014) partial schedule |
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Gill Coliseum is a large indoor sports building in Corvallis, Oregon. It is located on the campus of Oregon State University. This arena opened in December 1949.
Today, it can hold 9,301 people. It is the home for the Oregon State Beavers' basketball, wrestling, volleyball, and gymnastics teams. The building is named after Slats Gill, who was the Beavers' basketball coach for 36 years.
The basketball court inside is called Ralph Miller Court. It is named after another great OSU coach, Ralph Miller. He led the basketball team from 1971 to 1989. The building also has a weight room, equipment areas, locker rooms, and offices for the university's sports teams. On one wall, there is a painted mural showing many famous former players. These players include Gary Payton and Brent Barry.
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A Look Back: Gill Coliseum's History
Before Gill Coliseum was built, basketball games were played in a smaller gym. This gym, built in 1914, could hold 2,500 people. It is now known as Langton Hall.
Gill Coliseum cost about $1.8 million to build. It first opened in December 1949. When it first opened, it could hold 10,000 fans. All seats had a clear view of the game. The name "Gill Coliseum" was first an unofficial nickname. It honored coach Slats Gill, who was still coaching at the time. State rules did not allow buildings to be named after living people back then.
The building also used to house the Horner Museum in its basement. The museum closed in 1995.
Hosting Big Basketball Games
Gill Coliseum has hosted many exciting basketball games. It was chosen 11 times to host Western region games for the men's NCAA tournament. These big college basketball playoffs happened in various years, from 1952 to 1983.
The most recent tournament held here was in 1983. It featured teams like North Carolina State. They went on to win the championship that year. One of their games at Gill Coliseum was a thrilling double-overtime win.
Cool Features and Upgrades
The coliseum has a special sports medicine center. This center helps athletes prevent injuries and get better if they are hurt. It has modern equipment for training and recovery.
In 2009, the arena had a big renovation that cost $7 million. This work made the building more accessible for everyone. It also included cleaning and repainting the outside. New windows were added to the east and west sides. The basketball court has also been updated many times. These updates match the university's changing team logos and colors.
A building called the Sports Performance Center (SPC) was built nearby. Construction started in 2007 and finished in 2008. It is located between Gill Coliseum and the football complex. The SPC has a practice area for wrestling. It also has offices for the weight training staff. This 20,000 square foot building holds over $500,000 worth of training equipment. It also has a four-lane, 60-yard sprint track. The four-story building also includes two full-size basketball courts and basketball offices. These opened in June 2013.
Gallery
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The outside of Gill Coliseum in 1956
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The front of Gill Coliseum in May 2008
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A basketball game inside Gill Coliseum, around 1956
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The basketball court at Gill Coliseum in 2007
See also
- List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas
- Chiles Center
- McArthur Court
- Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Portland, Oregon)
