James A. Rhodes Arena facts for kids
| "The JAR" | |
 |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Location in OhioLocation in United States
|
|
| Location | 373 Carroll Street Akron, Ohio 44303 |
|---|---|
| Owner | University of Akron |
| Operator | University of Akron |
| Capacity | 5,500 |
| Surface | Hardwood |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | March 8, 1982 |
| Opened | December 3, 1983 |
| Construction cost | $12.5 million ($35.2 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Thomas T. K. Zung |
| Tenants | |
| Akron Zips (NCAA) Men's basketball (1983–present) Women's basketball (1983–present) Women's volleyball (1984–present) |
|
The James A. Rhodes Arena, often called "The JAR", is a sports building in Akron, Ohio, United States. It is located on the campus of the University of Akron. The arena is named after Jim Rhodes, a former governor of Ohio.
The JAR first opened its doors in 1983. It is the home court for the Akron Zips men's and women's basketball teams. The women's volleyball team also plays their games here. Before The JAR was built, an older building called Memorial Hall was used for sports.
Building The JAR
It took six years to plan and build this new sports arena. In 1977, the government of Ohio set aside $8 million to construct a large building. This building was planned to have 10,000 seats.
By 1978, the cost to build it had increased to $12.5 million. Because of the higher cost, the university decided to make a smaller building. The new design was for a building about 125,538 square feet in size. It would include a large wooden floor for games.
The architect who designed it was Thomas T. K. Zung. The university officially approved the new plans in July 1981. Construction began on March 8, 1982.
The James A. Rhodes Arena officially opened on December 3, 1983. It is located on the eastern side of the university campus. The spot where it stands used to be a fire station and a parking lot.
Exciting Events and Upgrades
The JAR has hosted many exciting sports events. In 1986, it was the location for the Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament. This brought many college teams to Akron.
In 2002, the arena got some cool new features. A brand new hardwood floor was installed for the games. Four bright LED screens were added above the court. These screens show replays and scores to everyone watching.
The arena also received a big sound system upgrade. This new system makes sure that everyone in the audience can hear the announcers and music clearly. It can get very loud, reaching 115 dB during games.
LeBron James Played Here
During the early 2000s, a famous basketball player named LeBron James played some of his high school games at The JAR. He played for St. Vincent - St. Mary High School, which is nearby. Many people came to watch his games, sometimes even more than came to watch the university's own teams!
Images for kids
-
The James A. Rhodes Arena in 2019.
