Frank Erwin Center 30th Anniversary

The Construction Concept

In 1974, Frank C. Erwin, the Chairman of the Board of Regents, had lifelong goals of the continued expansion of The University of Texas. Even in a time of high inflation, when the cost of construction forced many to put building plans on hold, Frank Erwin was determined to find a way to mold the campus to include more educational options, entertainment and activities for students and all of Central Texas. He planned to construct a Special Events Center to take a “more than adequate campus and make it into one of the First Class.”

Neither the Center nor the plans formed overnight. Erwin, U.T. and Athletic Department administrators and the architects, B.W. Crane and Ralph Anderson, all took a chartered plane across the nation to inspect the finest buildings in the United States to help Erwin formulate and express his ideas. The sketching began during the flight home.

The master plan expected the Special Events Center to replace buildings such as Gregory Gym and Hogg Auditorium, which had served a purpose but were soon outgrown by the campus. The main objective of the Special Events Center was to create a home for Longhorn Basketball, but when high construction bids postponed the addition of a performing arts center, Frank Erwin decided to add a stage-house to the basketball arena. A 32 line-set theatrical rigging system would allow the transformation from a basketball arena to a more intimate theatre. The Special Events Center would not be just another sports arena; it would be a facility flexible enough for many different purposes.

When determining the size of the building, it was decided that it would seat 17,844. Each would be a cushioned theatre seat, and most three inches wider than standard seating. In order to accommodate such large audiences, it was important to have two concourses, which are now the 35,000 square foot arena and mezzanine levels. The innovative design of the oval interior was planned to provide the public with a beneficial experience because of no pillars or harsh angles to obstruct views. The mobile stage was built in sections, the arena capacity ranged from 7,260 to 17,844 and the arena floor was 31,959 square feet. Details were also extremely important in the making of the Special Events Center. From the replacement of the arena’s concrete floor with a more attractive granite-terrazzo finish to the choice of the concourses’ soft lighting instead of florescent, Erwin believed every critical detail should be perfect. Even the address was considered an issue because it was thought that the round number “1700 Red River” would be more representative of the arena’s quality. However, since the School of Nursing was already assigned that number, the building now has the number “1701.”

One of the architects, Ralph Anderson, once said, “Due to its advanced and innovative design, The Center is still one of the prime buildings in the country.” He also went on to call the Frank Erwin Center the “Cadillac” of arenas because it has proven to be a model for arenas built after it. It is truly amazing that 30 years later, the Frank Erwin Center never ceases to offer all types of entertainment to its patrons, and most importantly, it fulfills Frank Erwin’s vision of creating a multi-purpose facility that offers culture as well as sports to Central Texas.