| William D. Mullins Memorial Center | |
|---|---|
| Location | 200 Commonwealth Avenue Amherst, Massachusetts 01003 |
| Broke ground | 1991 |
| Opened | February 4, 1993 |
| Owner | University of Massachusetts |
| Operator | Global Spectrum |
| Surface | 200x95 ft (hockey) |
| Construction cost | $51 Million ($77.5 million in 2012 dollars[1]) |
| Architect | Cambridge Seven Associates |
| Capacity | 9,493 (basketball) 8,387(hockey) |
| Tenants | |
| UMass Minutemen basketball (men's and women's) UMass Men's ice hockey |
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The William D. Mullins Memorial Center, also known as the Mullins Center, is a 9,493 seat multi-purpose arena, located on the campus of the University of Massachusetts, in Amherst, Massachusetts. The Mullins Center is the home of UMass Minutemen Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, and Men's Ice Hockey. In addition, the venue hosts numerous concerts, family shows, theater shows, and commencements annually. Located adjacent to the Mullins Center is the Mullins Community Ice Rink which is open for public skating and raquetball.
In 1985, William D. Mullins, a state representative from Ludlow, suggested that the University needed a multipurpose arena and convocation center to help expand the athletic program and assist in the university's growth. He died in 1986, but the state went ahead with the building of the complex, naming it for him. It replaced the Curry Hicks Cage, the 1930s-era basketball gymnasium, as home of the Minutemen basketball teams. In addition, it allowed the hockey team, which had been downgraded to club status since the late 1970s, to be elevated to Division I status.
The Mullins Center is managed by Global Spectrum, which manages over 70 different event arenas throughout the United States.
The Mullins Center has hosted many performances over the years, including:
| Musical Performances | Children's Shows | Entertainers | Athletics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerosmith | Playhouse Disney Live! | David Copperfield | Boston Bruins (Exhibition Game) |
| The All-American Rejects | Barney | Jim Breuer | USA vs. Russia |
| Bob Dylan | Doodlebops | Stars on Ice | NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship (1995) |
| Green Day | Walking With Dinosaurs | Boston Pops | Boston Celtics (Exhibition Game) |
| Jay Z | Care Bears | Bill Cosby | |
| Elton John | Sesame Street Live! | WWE | |
| LMFAO | Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever! | Full Throttle Energy Drink's Pro Wrestling Live! | |
| Ludacris | Cirque du Soleil | Dayglow | |
| Furthur | Daniel Tosh | ||
| Dave Matthews | Lipizzaner Stallions | ||
| Metallica (first concert at Mullins Center 2/15/93) | |||
| 311 | |||
| deadmau5 | |||
| Tiësto | |||
| Afrojack | |||
| 50 Cent | |||
| Craig Morgan | |||
| My Chemical Romance | |||
| New Found Glory | |||
| Nine Inch Nails | |||
| Paramore | |||
| Phil Lesh and Friends | |||
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | |||
| The Smashing Pumpkins | |||
| Sons of Sylvia | |||
| James Taylor | |||
| Josh Turner | |||
| Carrie Underwood (x2) | |||
| Daughtry | |||
| Kanye West | |||
| Phish | |||
| Wiz Khalifa | |||
| Evanescence | |||
| John Mayer | |||
| Tool |
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