Walter Pyramid facts for kids
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| Full name | Walter Pyramid |
|---|---|
| Former names | The Pyramid |
| Location | 1250 Bellflower Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90840 |
| Coordinates | 33°47′14″N 118°6′51″W / 33.78722°N 118.11417°WCoordinates: 33°47′14″N 118°6′51″W / 33.78722°N 118.11417°W |
| Broke ground | December 17, 1992 |
| Opened | November 30, 1994 |
| Owner | Long Beach State University |
| Surface | Beechwood |
| Scoreboard | Yes |
| Construction cost | $22 million ($31.6 million in 2021 dollars ) |
| Architect | Don Gibbs |
| General Contractor | Nielson Construction Company |
| Capacity | 4,200 (With additional seating, a record attendance of 6,912 occurred on November 16, 2012 versus North Carolina) |
The Walter Pyramid is a 5,000 seat indoor multi-purpose arena on the campus of Long Beach State University in Long Beach, California.
History
The Walter Pyramid opened on November 30, 1994. It hosted a Long Beach State 49ers men's basketball game against University of Detroit Mercy. The game aired live on ESPN. A standing-room only crowd of 5,021 saw Long Beach win with a final score of 71-64
The Walter Pyramid was designed by Don Gibbs. It was built by the Nielson Construction Company of San Diego. The building of Walter Pyramid cost approximately $22 million dollars. Each side of the perimeter of Walter Pyramid measures 345 feet (105 m), making it a mathematically true pyramid. It is one of only three true pyramid-style buildings in the United States. The others are the Luxor Hotel Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Walter Pyramid rises 18 stories above the Long Beach skyline. Its exterior is clad in sheets of dark-blue corrugated aluminum.
Name change
On March 5, 2005, Long Beach State renamed The Pyramid to Walter Pyramid in honor of Dr. Mike and Arline Walter. The Walters were given this recognition for a $2.1 million donation given to the university. In addition to being the vice-president of Levi Strauss & Co., Dr. Mike Walter was also a dean for Long Beach State's College of Business Administration from 1993 to 2000.
The Walter Pyramid also hosts the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships or, in Portuguese language, Mundiais. The Walter Pyramid is also home to the Los Angeles Reign of the National Pro Grid League.
