Charlotte Y. Martin Centre

Charlotte Y. Martin Centre is an athletics center in the northwest United States, on the campus of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Its multi-purpose arena has a seating capacity of 4,000.[2]

Martin Centre
The Kennel
Full nameCharlotte Y. Martin Centre
Former namesJohn F. Kennedy Memorial Pavilion (1965–1987)
LocationGonzaga University
Spokane, Washington
Coordinates47.6655°N 117.4005°W / 47.6655; -117.4005
OwnerGonzaga University
OperatorGonzaga University
Capacity4,000
Construction
Broke groundJune 3, 1964
OpenedDecember 3, 1965
55 years ago
Renovated1986
Construction cost$1.1 million
($8.92 million in 2021[1])
Tenants
Gonzaga Bulldogs (NCAA)
Men's basketball (1965–1979, 1980–2004)
Women's basketball (until 2004)
Women's volleyball
Website
Martin Centre
Spokane
Location in the United States
Spokane
Location in Washington

Ground was broken in June 1964 on the $1.1 million center, which opened in late 1965 as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Pavilion, with a capacity of 3,800 for basketball.[3][4] The center included a 6-lane 25-yard (23 m) swimming pool.[3] The dedication ceremony on November 21 was attended by 6,000 and included the late president's brother, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts.[5][6][7] The first varsity event on December 3 was a basketball game against Washington State, won by the visiting Cougars 106–78 before an overflow crowd of 4,300.[8][9]

Charlotte Martin, the daughter-in-law of former governor Clarence D. Martin,[10] donated $4.5 million in 1987 for the renovation of the complex and it was renamed for her as part of Gonzaga's centennial celebrations on March 17.[4][11][12] Mrs. Martin died less than eight months later, at age 68.[10]

The Martin Centre is the home court of the women's volleyball team, and was home of men's and women's basketball teams until the fall of 2004, when the adjacent $25 million McCarthey Athletic Center (MAC) opened.[13] An exception was the partial hiatus in the 1979–80 season when the men's team returned to its former home of the Spokane Coliseum for WCAC home games only,[12][14][15] The Pavilion was affectionately known as The Kennel, a reference to the enthusiastic capacity crowds for Bulldog basketball,[4] a nickname which transferred to the MAC.

Prior to the Spokane Coliseum's opening in 1955, Gonzaga basketball games were played on campus at "The Cave," a gymnasium in the administration building.[3]

In late 1968, the English rock group Led Zeppelin played their fifth-ever American concert at the Kennedy Pavilion on December 30, opening for Vanilla Fudge and erroneously billed as "Len Zefflin";[16][17] the first known bootleg recording of the band originated from this performance.[4][18] The bands were welcomed to Spokane with frigid sub-zero temperatures.[19]

References
  1. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  2. "Our region's arenas". Spokesman-Review. November 18, 2004. p. O8.
  3. Missildine, Harry (May 21, 1965). "Kennedy Pavilion heralds modern Gonzaga sports era". Spokesman-Review. p. 28.
  4. Venue information and background
  5. "GU names 3 to take part in dedication". Spokane Daily Chronicle. November 20, 1965. p. 3.
  6. "JFK edifice is dedicated". Spokesman-Review. November 22, 1965. p. 1.
  7. "Assassination forced clearer thinking, says Edward Kennedy". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 22, 1965. p. 1.
  8. Missildine, Harry (December 4, 1965). "New Pavilion big success - for Cougars". Spokesman-Review. p. 8.
  9. Keidan, Bruce (December 4, 1965). "Cougars break point mark in drubbing 'Zags". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 8.
  10. Wagoner, Richard (November 4, 1987). "Advocate of education Charlotte Martin dies". Spokesman-Review. p. A1.
  11. Sparks, Jim (March 18, 1987). "Gonzaga dedicates center - with a flair". Spokane Chronicle. p. A3.
  12. "Through The Ages – Homes of the Bulldogs" (PDF). 2007 Gonzaga University Men's Basketball Media Guide. Gonzaga University Athletics. p. 108. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
  13. Bergum, Steve (November 18, 2004). "Welcome home". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. O2.
  14. Missildine, Harry (February 15, 1980). "Zags are paying - for visiting teams, vacant Kennedy Pavilion". Spokesman-Review. p. 25.
  15. "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2007 Gonzaga University Men's Basketball Media Guide. Gonzaga University Athletics. pp. 123–133. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
  16. "Shows: 1968, Spokane, Washington". Led Zeppelin. December 30, 1968. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  17. "Concerts West presents:". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (advertisement). December 30, 1968. p. 18.
  18. "Gonzaga '68". YouTube. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
  19. "Cold easing: mercury hits zero". Spokane Daily Chronicle. December 31, 1968. p. 1.


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