Coleman Coliseum
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| Former names | Memorial Coliseum (1968–1988) University Field House (planning) |
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| Location | 1201 Coliseum Circle Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487 |
| Coordinates | 33°12′11″N 87°32′23″W / 33.202939°N 87.539706°W |
| Owner | University of Alabama |
| Operator | University of Alabama |
| Capacity | 15,383 (basketball) 15,075 (gymnastics) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 1965 |
| Opened | January 30, 1968 |
| Renovated | 2005 |
| Construction cost | $4.2 Million ($28.9 million in 2017 dollars) |
| Architect | Miller, Martin & Lewis Edwin T. McCowan |
| Structural engineer | Ammann & Whitney |
| Services engineer | James D. Scrivner |
| General contractor | Daniel Construction Co. |
| Tenants | |
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Alabama Crimson Tide (basketball & gymnastics) |
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Coleman Coliseum is a 15,383-seat multi-purpose arena in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on the campus of the University of Alabama. It is the current home of the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball and women's gymnastics teams and previously served as the home of the women's basketball and women's volleyball programs in the past. Opened in 1968 as Memorial Coliseum as a replacement for Foster Auditorium (the current name was adopted in 1988), the coliseum is located at the center of the University of Alabama's athletic complex, which also includes Sewell-Thomas Stadium, Sam Bailey Track & Field Stadium, the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility, the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility and the football building and practice fields.
In addition to its primary duties as an athletic facility, the coliseum has on numerous occasions served as venue for artistic performances, musical concerts, and presidential appearances.
Coleman Coliseum is named for Jefferson Jackson Coleman, a prominent University of Alabama alumnus. Jefferson Coleman was the first pledge of Theta Sigma Fraternity that would later become the basis for starting the current National Delta Chi Fraternity Chapter at The University on February 12, 1927. Jefferson went on to serve The University in many capacities, from Business Manager of the football team to Director of Alumni Affairs, for almost 50 years. Until his death in 1995 he was the only person that had attended every Alabama bowl game, starting with the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1926. In 1990, The University honored him by renaming Memorial Coliseum after him. In addition, he served Delta Chi nationally by serving in various positions, most notably as “AA” from 1954 to 1956. For his meritorious and inconspicuous service, Jeff was inducted into The Order of the White Carnation.
The coliseum opened its doors for the first time on January 30, 1968, for the traveling Broadway show The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd. Two days later, the men's basketball team hosted its game at the arena, against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
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