Chaifetz Arena

Chaifetz Arena
Construction

Location	1 South Compton Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63103
Coordinates	38°37′57″N 90°13′41″W / 38.63246°N 90.22797°W / 38.63246; -90.22797Coordinates: 38°37′57″N 90°13′41″W / 38.63246°N 90.22797°W / 38.63246; -90.22797
Owner	Saint Louis University
Operator	Global Spectrum
Capacity	10,600
Surface	Multi-surface
Broke ground	August 28, 2006^[1]
Opened	April 10, 2008^[2]
Construction cost	$80.5 million ($88.2 million in 2015 dollars^[3])
Architect	Sink Combs Dethlefs Mackey Mitchell Associates
Structural engineer	Alper Audi, Inc.
General contractor	Clayco Construction
Tenants
Saint Louis Billikens (NCAA Division I) (2008–present)

Chaifetz Arena (/ˈʃeɪfɛtz/ SHAY-fetz),^[4] located on the campus of Saint Louis University, is a 10,600 seat multi-purpose arena in St. Louis, Missouri, that began construction on August 28, 2006 and opened on April 10, 2008.^[2]

In February 2007, Chicago-based businessman Richard Chaifetz, CEO of ComPsych Corporation and 1975 graduate of SLU, made a $12 million donation to the university, which named the arena in his honor.

As of the 2008-09 season, it is the official home of the Saint Louis University Billikens men's and women's basketball teams, replacing Scottrade Center (1994-2008), St. Louis Arena (1991-94), Kiel Auditorium (1934-1991), and the Bauman-Eberhardt Center (1920-1934), respectively. Additionally, the attached Chaifetz Pavilion includes a two-court basketball and volleyball practice facility that also serves as an 800-seat venue that is the home for the university's volleyball teams.^[5] The arena, known as "the Jewel of Midtown," includes a three-story athletic office and a blue victory light on the roof that is activated after each Billiken home victory.^[6] Chaifetz Arena has been called by VCU coach Shaka Smart as the toughest venue to play in the Atlantic 10 Conference.^[7]

Men's basketball record at Chaifetz Arena

Year	Conference record	Record overall	Winning Percentage	Head Coach
2008–2009	6-2	14-3	.824	Rick Majerus
2009–2010	6-2	18-4	.818	Rick Majerus
2010–2011	4-4	9-7	.563	Rick Majerus
2011–2012	7-1	15-1	.938	Rick Majerus
2012–2013	7-1	17-2	.895	Jim Crews
2013–2014	6-2	14-3	.824	Jim Crews
2014-2015	3-6	9-9	.500	Jim Crews
TOTALS	39-18	96-29	.768

Events

The first event held at the venue was a Harlem Globetrotters game against the Washington Generals, played on April 11, 2008.^[8]

Barry Manilow performed the inaugural concert at Chaifetz Arena on April 25, 2008.

The first student concert was held on April 26, 2008 featuring artists Tyler Hilton, Chingy, The Starting Line, Jo Dee Messina, and Augustana.

The first political rally at the Arena was on October 2, 2008, for Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. She appeared to supporters after the 2008 Vice Presidential debate held at Washington University in St. Louis.^[9]

Saint Louis University held its first Commencement Ceremony on campus in 60 years at the arena on May 17, 2008. Fox Sports personality and native St. Louisan Joe Buck delivered the Commencement Address.

FIRST has held its St. Louis Regional at Chaifetz Arena for several years.

American Idols Live! made its Chaifetz Arena debut in 2009, having previously been held at the Fox Theater (2002) and Family Arena (2003-2008). Chaifetz Arena also became the St. Louis stop for Champions on Ice and Cirque du Soleil, also in 2009.

The USA Gymnastics Championships occurred June 7–10, 2012 at the Chaifetz Arena

TNA IMPACT WRESTLING was held here in September,2013.

In 2012, jam band Phish played a capacity show at the Chaifetz. The show is highly regarded as one of their best on the Summer 2012 Tour because of the stellar segues and the jam that came out of Limb by Limb.

References

↑ Chaifetz Arena - SLUBillikens.com
↑ 2.0 2.1 Johnson, Kevin C. (April 10, 2013). "Chaifetz Arena Celebrates 5th Anniversary". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
↑ Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2014. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
↑ Allen, Matt. "Clayco, Mackey Mitchell finish SLU's Chaifetz Arena," St. Louis Business Journal, March 9, 2008.
↑ http://www.slubillikens.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205246206/
↑ http://www.claycorp.com/p/240/chaifetz-arena-at-st-louis-university/
↑ Durando, Stu (October 14, 2014). "SLU Notes: SLU's Glaze Out with Dislocated Shoulder". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
↑ MyFox St. Louis | New Chaifetz Arena Opens With Globetrotters
↑ Palin Supporters in St. Louis Hold VP Debate Watch Party | ksdk.com | St. Louis, MO

External links

Saint Louis University

Undergraduate	Arts and Sciences Business Engineering, Aviation and Technology Social Work Nursing Health Sciences Education and Public Service Universidad de Saint Louis Philosophy and Letters

Graduate	Law Medicine Business Public Health Social Work Graduate School Nursing Doisy College of Health Sciences College of Education and Public Service Professional Studies

Museums	Museum of Contemporary Religious Art Saint Louis University Museum of Art Cupples House Pere Marquette Gallery Henry Lay Sculpture Park

Athletics	Men's Soccer Women's Soccer Men's Basketball Baseball

Campus	Hermann Stadium Chaifetz Arena Bauman-Eberhardt Center Billiken Sports Center Saint Louis University Ice Pavilion Presidents St. Francis Xavier College Church Vatican Film Library

Publications	Boulevard Manuscripta The Modern Schoolman St. Louis Literary Award

Saint Louis Billikens men's basketball

Venues	First Regiment Armory (1920–1925) West Pine Gym (1925–1945) Kiel Auditorium (1945–1968; 1973–1978; 1983–1991) St. Louis Arena (1968–1973; 1973–1982; 1991–1994) Scottrade Center (1991–2008) Chaifetz Arena (2008–present)

Culture & lore	History

People	Head coaches Retired jerseys

Seasons	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 1999–00 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

Basketball arenas of the Atlantic 10 Conference

John M. Belk Arena (Davidson)
UD Arena (Dayton)
A. J. Palumbo Center (Duquesne)
Rose Hill Gymnasium (Fordham)
Patriot Center (George Mason)
Charles E. Smith Athletic Center (George Washington)
Tom Gola Arena (La Salle)
Ryan Center (Rhode Island)
Robins Center (Richmond)
Hagan Arena (Saint Joseph's)
Chaifetz Arena (Saint Louis)
Reilly Center (St. Bonaventure)
William D. Mullins Memorial Center (UMass)
Siegel Center (VCU)