Patriot Center

Infobox Stadium | stadium_name=Patriot Center


location= 4500 Patriot Circle,
Fairfax, VA 22030
broke_ground= 1982
owner= George Mason University
operator= Centre Management
opened= 1985
construction_cost= $16 million [ [http://www.gmu.edu/library/specialcollections/gmdcs_timeline.html George Mason Timeline] ]
architect= HOK Sport,
Mosley Architects
tenants= George Mason Patriots
seating_capacity= Basketball: 10,000The Patriot Center is a 10,000 seat arena in Fairfax, Virginia. It is located on the campus of George Mason University (which has 30,000+ students), and has attracted 7.7 million people to over 2400 events. Pollstar has ranked The Patriot Center as number 51 in ticket sales (2005). The Patriot Center opened on October 4th, 1985, where the New York Knicks played the Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards ) in a pre-season game. The arena is home to the George Mason University basketball teams, as well as concerts and shows with the 17,000 square feet of space.

The Patriot Center is the first university venue to be managed by a private company, Washington Sports and Entertainment, who also manages the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. In 1986, the Patriot Center hosted the first men’s CAA (Colonial Athletic Association Tournament and hosted it’s first women’s CAA Tournament in 2005. In 1990, the Patriot Center held the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championships.

Currently the arena is undergoing a $10 million renovation, which will include new concession stands, new hospitality area, new locker rooms and bathrooms, and an improved main concourse. The Patriot Center holds over 120 events and attracts over 450,000 people every year. This year GMU men’s basketball team set an attendance record against their rival Virginia Commonwealth University; the very next game against James Madison University, another record was set (both games were won). The Patriot Center also graduates many of Northern Virginia's high schools.

Concerts By

*Casting Crowns
*Luis Miguel
*Avril Lavigne
*Alanis Morissette
*Matchbox 20
*Bruce Springsteen
*Jonas Brothers
*The Beach Boys
*Beastie Boys
*The Cure
*Bob Dylan
*Daddy Yankee
*Duran Duran
*ZZ Top
*David Bowie
*Fall Out Boy
*Panic At The Disco
*Green Day
*Gwen Stefani
*The Killers
*Ludacris
*Maná
*Muse
*Nelly Furtado
*Oasis
*Outkast
*Phish
*REM
*The Smashing Pumpkins
*Ricardo Arjona
*Chris Brown
*The White Stripes
*RBD
*Hilary Duff
*Aaron Carter

Records

Men's Basketball Game - 9,840 on February 2nd, 2008
Concert - Phish, 10,356
Grossing Concert - Bruce Springsteen in 2005, $573,885
Grossing Family Show - The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus in 2003, $1.2 million

References

External links

* [http://www.patriotcenter.com Patriot Center Official Website]