McKenzie Arena

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

McKenzie Arena
The Roundhouse
Location	720 E 4th St Chattanooga, TN 37403
Opened	December 1, 1982
Owner	University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Operator	University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Construction cost	$15.5 million
Former names	UTC Arena (1982-2000)
Tenants	Chattanooga Mocs (Men's) and Lady Mocs (Women's) Basketball
Capacity	11,218 (basketball)

McKenzie Arena (also called The Roundhouse) is the main basketball arena for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. It replaced Maclellan Gymnasium, a 4,177-seat gymnasium now used for women's volleyball and wrestling. Originally called UTC Arena, it was renamed McKenzie Arena on February 21, 2000 in honor of athletic supporters Toby and Brenda McKenzie of Cleveland, Tennessee. Its nickname, "The Roundhouse," comes not only from its round shape, but the city's association with the railroad industry ("roundhouses" house the mechanisms for turning trains around at train stations).

The 11,218-seat arena was opened on December 1, 1982, with a 56-49 loss to the Tennessee Vols. Its first season also included a visit by the then-defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels, a team which included Michael Jordan, Brad Daugherty, and Sam Perkins. Since its opening, the men's team has won over 80% of its games in the arena.

In addition to the men's basketball team, the arena is home to the Lady Mocs women's basketball team and the school's department of intercollegiate athletics. The arena hosted both the 2005 men's Southern Conference basketball tournament and the 2005 women's tournament championship game (the lower rounds were held at Maclellan Gym), with the men's team winning and the top-seeded women's team being upset in the quarterfinals. In addition to basketball, the arena has hosted many ice shows, rodeos, circuses, truck rallies, wrestling events and concerts.

The arena can also accommodate concerts, with a 64-by-48-foot stage and capacities of 7,463 for side-stage shows, 9,107 end-stage and 11,557 center-stage shows; ice shows, circuses and even monster truck rallies (arena floor dimensions are 151'6" by 181'9"). Among some of the most famous performes who have played at the arena are Chaka Khan, REO Speedwagon, Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne.

The arena hosted WCW Halloween Havoc in 1991 and the 13th WWF In Your House pay-per-view in 1997.