Iowa State Center facts for kids
The Iowa State Center is a cool place in Ames, Iowa, right next to Iowa State University. It's a big area with different buildings where people can enjoy sports, concerts, and shows. The Center includes famous spots like Hilton Coliseum, Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater, the Scheman Building, and Jack Trice Stadium.
Contents
About the Iowa State Center
The idea for the Iowa State Center came from James Hilton. He was the tenth president of Iowa State University. In 1954, he suggested building a place for learning, culture, and sports.
To make this dream happen, the ISU Foundation was started in 1958. Their main job was to collect money to build the Iowa State Center. The ISU Foundation still works today. They help raise money for many parts of the university.
The state government did not give any money for building the Center. The first donation was just two dollars from someone who wanted to stay a secret. But then, a very generous person named C. Y. Stephens gave one million dollars! Stephens Auditorium is named after him. The whole center covers about 76 acres. This land used to be farm fields for the university. About 40 full-time people work to keep the Center running smoothly.
| Building Name | Finished In | Cost | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fisher Theater | 1974 | $900,000 | 454 |
| Hilton Coliseum | 1971 | $8.1 million | 14,356 |
| Jack Trice Stadium | 1975 | $7.6 million | 61,500 |
| Scheman Building | 1975 | $5.3 million | - |
| Stephens Auditorium | 1969 | $4.9 million | 2,747 |
-
Main entrance Hilton Coliseum
-
North entrance to Stephens Auditorium
-
South entrance of Fisher Theater
-
Main entrance of Scheman Building
-
Jack Trice Football Complex
Buildings at the Center
Stephens Auditorium
Stephens Auditorium is named after Clifford Y. Stephens. He gave a lot of money to help build it. Construction started in 1965 and finished in 1969. It cost $4.9 million to build. The famous New York Philharmonic Orchestra played the first concerts there. This happened during a week-long festival.
The auditorium has 2,747 seats. In 2004, the American Institute of Architects in Iowa called it the "Building of the Century."
Hilton Coliseum
Hilton Coliseum is named after Dr. James H. Hilton. He was the Iowa State University president who first thought of the Iowa State Center. Hilton Coliseum was finished in 1971. It cost $8.1 million.
This building can hold about 14,000 people for sports events. For concerts, it can fit around 15,000 people. The very first event here was a farming conference. The first sports game was a men's basketball game. Iowa State played against Arizona, and Iowa State won!
Fisher Theater
Fisher Theater is named after J. W. Fisher from Marshalltown, Iowa. He was a big supporter of the university and the Iowa State Center. This theater was finished in 1974 and cost $900,000.
The theater has 454 seats. It is mostly used by Iowa State students. They put on plays and dance shows there.
Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium was finished in 1975 after two years of building. It was first called Cyclone Stadium. But in 1997, its name was changed. This was to honor Jack Trice. He was the first African-American athlete at ISU. He was also the only ISU athlete to die from injuries during a sports event.
The first game played in the stadium was a Cyclone victory. They beat Air Force in September 1975. The stadium is mainly used for NCAA college football games. It has also been used for concerts.
Scheman Building
The Scheman Building is named after Carl Scheman. He was an Iowa State University graduate and gave a lot of money to the Iowa State Center. It was finished in 1975 and cost $5.3 million.
This building is used for many different events. It hosts small and large meetings, board meetings, dinners before shows, and even wedding parties.
The Scheman Building is also home to the Brunnier Art Museum. This museum is special because it focuses on decorative arts. It is one of the few museums in the country found inside a place that also has shows and meetings.
42°01′15″N 93°38′13″W / 42.020855°N 93.636972°W
