Frank Erwin Center 30th Anniversary

Did You Know...

During Frank Erwin’s tenure with the Board of Regents, The University initiated the construction of the following buildings: the Perry Casteñada Library, the College of Fine Arts, the Performing Arts Center, the Special Events Center (currently known as the Frank Erwin Center), the LBJ Library, Sid Richardson Hall, the Harry Ransom Center, Bellmont Hall, Disch-Falk Field, the Texas Swimming Center, the Education Building, The Graduate School of Business Building, Jester Center and the Nursing Center.

»The Frank Erwin Center was designed by the same architects that are credited with the innovative design for the Houston Astrodome, B.W. Crane and Ralph Anderson.

»Frank Erwin originally wanted the address for the arena to be 1700 Red River, a “rounded” number, but that address had already been claimed by the School of Nursing building, located across the street, so the new arena settled on 1701 Red River.

»The Frank Erwin Center’s first event was a UT men’s basketball game against The University of Oklahoma on November 29, 1977. The UT men upended OU by a score of 83-76 in front of 12,650 fans.

»The first sellout basketball game was played before a crowd of 16,288 on January 14, 1978 and featured Texas vs. Arkansas.

»The first family show at the Frank Erwin Center was a performance by The Harlem Globetrotters on February 10, 1978.

»The first concert was a performance by Lawrence Welk on March 12, 1978 in front of 15,676.

»17,829 fans attended the first sellout concert, a performance by John Denver on May 6, 1978.

»The original name of the Frank Erwin Center was The Special Events Center. The name was changed to the Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Special Events Center on February 12, 1981.

»The Prince concerts on January 11 and 12, 1985, marked the first two-night run for a Frank Erwin Center concert. A record 31,007 people attended.

»Garth Brooks was the fastest concert sellout at the Frank Erwin Center with 17,141 tickets sold in 47 minutes for the October 15, 1992 show.

»As of January 10, 2007, a total of 22,833,878 people have entered the Frank Erwin Center doors.