Moody Center

The Moody Center is an upcoming multi-purpose arena currently under construction on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas. The arena, slated to open in June 2022 as the replacement to the Frank Erwin Center, is being built on a former parking lot located immediately south of Mike A. Myers Soccer Stadium.[2] The arena will seat 10,000 for most basketball games and expand to 15,000 seats for large basketball games and other events.

Moody Center
Signage at the Moody Center site
Full nameMoody Center
LocationAustin, Texas
OwnerUniversity of Texas at Austin
OperatorOak View Group and University of Texas at Austin
Capacity10,000 (basketball)
15,000 (total)[1]
Construction
Broke groundDecember 3, 2019
OpenedJune 2022 (tentative)
Construction cost$338 million (original) / $388 million (current estimate)
Tenants
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
Texas Longhorns women's basketball

History

In 2018, it was announced that Oak View Group and the University of Texas had agreed to form an innovative public-private partnership, to build a new $388 million arena. The arena will replace the Frank Erwin Center as the home for the Texas Longhorns basketball programs, and will also function as a world-class events center for the city of Austin.[3][4] The new arena will be named the Moody Center following the Moody Foundation's grant of $130 million to the university. Oak View Group is funding the construction, and will manage the building at its cost in exchange for the right to most of the income from non-UT events, such as concerts and shows, for at least the first 35 years after opening.[5] UT, however, owns the land under the arena and will be the owner of the building. Under the terms of the agreement, the university will have exclusive control of the arena for 60 days each year to hold men's and women's basketball games, graduations, and other events.[6] Oak View Group, along with partners Live Nation and C3 Presents, will have the right to hold events on the other days.[7]

Construction now underway, the groundbreaking ceremony took place just south of Mike A. Myers Soccer Stadium on December 3, 2019 with completion expected to occur in 2022.[8]

Matthew McConaughey

Actor and University of Texas alumnus/professor Matthew McConaughey is a partner in the arena project, and will serve as the venue's "Minister of Culture", a likely marketing-related role the specific duties of which have not yet been released.

References

  1. "Groundbreaking for Moody Center at the University of Texas Set for Dec 3". Community Impact. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  2. Editors (2019-11-11). "New University of Texas Arena to be Named Moody Center". Arena Digest. Retrieved 2019-11-11.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  3. Daniel, Cody (December 20, 2018). "The University of Texas, Oak View Group agree to build 'world-class' on-campus arena". Burnt Orange Nation. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  4. Maas, Jimmy (December 20, 2018). "UT Regents Approve Arena Proposal To Replace Frank Erwin Center". KUT. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  5. "Get it in writing: Texas gets 60 protected dates, all gameday revenue in Moody Center contract". Austin American Statesman. 2020-06-26. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  6. "Get it in writing: Texas gets 60 protected dates, all gameday revenue in Moody Center contract". Austin American Statesman. 2020-06-26. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  7. "Get it in writing: Texas gets 60 protected dates, all gameday revenue in Moody Center contract". Austin American Statesman. 2020-06-26. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  8. Editors (2019-11-11). "New University of Texas Arena to be Named Moody Center". Arena Digest. Retrieved 2019-11-11.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)

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