Frank Erwin Center

Frank Erwin Center
The Drum, The Superdrum
Full name	Frank C. Erwin Jr. Special Events Center
Former names	Special Events Center (1977–1980)
Address	1701 Red River Street
Location	Austin, Texas
Coordinates	30°16′37″N 97°43′56″W / 30.276958°N 97.732216°W
Owner	University of Texas at Austin
Operator	University of Texas at Austin
Capacity	17,900 (center stage) (concert); 16,540 (basketball, 2013-present); 7,820 (theatre)
Record attendance	John Denver 17,829
Surface	Terrazzo Floor/Portable basketball floor/Portable turf
Construction
Broke ground	August 1974
Opened	November 29, 1977
Renovated	2001
Expanded	2003
Construction cost	$34 million (original); ($171 million in 2023 dollars); $55 million (renovations/expansion)
Architect	Wilson, Crain & Anderson; ; Heery International (renovations/expansion)
Structural engineer	Walter P Moore
General contractor	H.A. Lott Inc.
Tenants
	Texas Longhorns (NCAA) (1977–present); Austin Wranglers (AFL/af2) (2004–2008)

The Frank C. Erwin Jr. Center (commonly known as Frank Erwin Center or UT Erwin Center and originally Special Events Center) is a multi-purpose arena located on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas. It is also sometimes referred to as "The Drum" or "The Superdrum", owing to its round, drum-like appearance from outside (not to be confused with Big Bertha, the large bass drum used by the University of Texas marching band).

The multi-purpose facility hosts entertainment events and is the home court for the UT men's and women's basketball programs. The Erwin Center is located at the southeastern corner of the UT central campus and is bounded on the east by Interstate 35.

History

Built to replace Gregory Gymnasium as the men's and women's basketball teams' home arena, the Special Events Center was completed in 1977 for a total cost of $34 million. The Texas men's basketball team opened the events center on November 29, 1977 with an 83–76 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners.^[3] UT undertook extensive renovations of the facility from 2001 to 2003 at a cost of $55 million, adding, among other things, new and renovated seating, new video and sound systems, new lighting, and 28 suites.^[4]

The building is named for former UT Board of Regents member Frank Erwin, who as a regent was very controversial due to his hostility towards the burgeoning on-campus, political counterculture movement of the late 1960s and was directly involved in the arrest of protesting students and the purging of what he deemed as "unpatriotic" faculty.^[5] Originally known as the Special Events Center, the facility was renamed in 1980 to honor Erwin, who died that same year.

A two-level layout (the lower arena and upper mezzanine) accommodates up to 16,540 spectators for basketball games and up to 17,900 spectators for concerts. The inner ring of the arena averages around 20 rows deep, while the mezzanine is slightly deeper at around 24 rows. The size of the arena's inner ring is highly dependent on the event being hosted.

Erwin Center, Set Up for A Concert, April 2016

The Dell Medical Center, a $334 million teaching hospital for the University, has identified the parking lot and Waller Creek area directly across from the Frank Erwin Center as Phase I of construction, with later phases calling for the demolition and relocation of the Frank Erwin Center,^[6] preferably on the University of Texas at Austin campus. A discussed location is the parking lots south of Mike A. Myers Soccer Stadium.

In 2018, it was announced that Oak View Group and the University of Texas had agreed to build a new $338 million dollar arena for the Texas Longhorns basketball program to replace the Frank Erwin Center.^[7]

Events

Located adjacent to downtown Austin, The Erwin Center is generally accepted to be Austin's current premier venue for large public and private events. The center holds many events such as concerts, professional wrestling events, bull riding and private banquets.

The arena has hosted three UFC mixed martial events: UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares in 2010, UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Swanson in 2014, and UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Medeiros in 2018.

Music artists such as KISS, U2, Bon Jovi, Pearl Jam, Paul McCartney, Def Leppard, Garth Brooks, Van Halen, Rush, Prince, Rod Stewart, Madonna, Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and many others have performed at the arena.

The Erwin Center hosted the semifinals and finals of the University Interscholastic League boys' and girls' basketball playoffs in all five classifications until 2015, when the playoffs moved to San Antonio.

References

^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
^ "Arenas". Walter P Moore. Archived from the original on July 8, 2000. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
^ "Celebrating 35 Years". uterwincenter.com. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
^ "About the Erwin Center". uterwincenter.com. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
^ "Erwin, Frank Craig Jr. – Texas State Historical Association". Texas Sports. Retrieved April 29, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
^ "Dell Medical School Construction Plans Unveiled". University of Texas. May 8, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
^ Daniel, Cody (2018-12-20). "The University of Texas, Oak View Group agree to build 'world-class' on-campus arena". Burnt Orange Nation. Retrieved 2019-02-25.

External links

[inflation-US-1] 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.

[2] "Arenas". Walter P Moore. Archived from the original on July 8, 2000. Retrieved November 10, 2013.

[3] "Celebrating 35 Years". uterwincenter.com. Retrieved June 5, 2016.

[4] "About the Erwin Center". uterwincenter.com. Retrieved June 5, 2016.

[University_of_Texas_Facilities-5] "Erwin, Frank Craig Jr. – Texas State Historical Association". Texas Sports. Retrieved April 29, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)

[6] "Dell Medical School Construction Plans Unveiled". University of Texas. May 8, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.

[7] Daniel, Cody (2018-12-20). "The University of Texas, Oak View Group agree to build 'world-class' on-campus arena". Burnt Orange Nation. Retrieved 2019-02-25.

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v t e Texas Longhorns men's basketball
Venues	Clark Field (1905–1917) Men's Gym (1917–1928) Gregory Gymnasium (1930–1977) Frank Erwin Center (1977–2022) Moody Center (2022–present)
Rivalries	Texas A&M
Culture and lore	Bevo Hook 'em "Texas Fight"
People	Head coaches NBA draftees NBA players Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Premo-Porretta national championship in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics

v t e Texas Longhorns women's basketball
Venues	Gregory Gymnasium (1974–1977) Frank Erwin Center (1977–2022) Moody Center (2022–present)
Rivalries	Texas A&M
People	WNBA draftees Head coaches
Culture and lore	Bevo Hook 'em "Texas Fight"
Seasons	1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
NCAA national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics

v t e Music venues of Texas
Outdoor venues	Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Dos Equis Pavilion Germania Insurance Amphitheater Miller Outdoor Theatre Toyota Music Factory Zilker Park
Theaters and clubs	AT&T Performing Arts Center Anhalt Hall Aztec Theatre Bass Concert Hall Bass Performance Hall Bayou Music Center Billy Bob's Texas Cactus Cafe Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts Chautauqua Auditorium Emo's The Factory in Deep Ellum Fitzgerald's Gas Monkey Bar N' Grill Gas Monkey Live Gilley's Club Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts Granada Theater Gruene Hall Hobby Center for the Performing Arts Jefferson Theatre Jones Hall Julie Rogers Theater Long Center for the Performing Arts Main Street Crossing Majestic Theater Majestic Theatre Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House McFarlin Memorial Auditorium Moody Performance Hall Moody Theater Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center Music Hall at Fair Park Paramount Theatre Plaza Theatre San Angelo Performing Arts Coalition Smart Financial Centre Texas Hall Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Trees Dallas Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center Warehouse Live Will Rogers Auditorium Wortham Theater Center
Arenas	Amarillo National Center American Airlines Center American Bank Center Beaumont Civic Center Bert Ogden Arena Credit Union of Texas Event Center Comerica Center Convention Center Arena Dickies Arena Don Haskins Center El Paso County Coliseum Ford Arena Fort Worth Convention Center Frank Erwin Center Freeman Coliseum Frost Bank Center H-E-B Center Kay Yeager Coliseum Lubbock Memorial Civic Center Moody Coliseum NRG Arena The Oil Palace Payne Arena Toyota Center Sames Auto Arena United Supermarkets Arena
Stadiums	AT&T Stadium Alamodome Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium Ford Center at The Star NRG Stadium Toyota Stadium
Historic venues	Armadillo World Headquarters Bagdad Supper Club Balinese Room Cheatham Street Warehouse Cherry Springs Dance Hall Dallas City Limits Dallas Sportatorium HemisFair Arena Houston Music Hall Fair Park Coliseum Liberty Hall Liberty Lunch Lubbock Municipal Coliseum Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe Raul's Reunion Arena Sam Houston Coliseum Sam Houston Hall Sand Mountain Coffee House Skyliner Ballroom Southern Star Amphitheatre Texas Stadium Real Life Amphitheater Vulcan Gas Company
Festivals	Astroworld Festival Austin City Limits Music Festival Thin Line Fest Kerrville Folk Festival South by Southwest Denton Arts and Jazz Festival Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival Fortress Festival

History

Events

See also

References

External links