Crisler Center

Crisler Center
"The House that Cazzie Built"[1][2]
Crisler Center, as seen from above.
Map
Former namesUniversity Events Building (1967–1970)
Crisler Arena (1970–2011)
Location333 E Stadium Blvd
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Coordinates42°15′54″N 83°44′48″W / 42.265037°N 83.746768°W / 42.265037; -83.746768
OwnerUniversity of Michigan
OperatorUniversity of Michigan
Capacity13,684 (1967)
13,609 (1968–1991)
13,562 (1991–2001)
13,751 (2001–2011)
12,721 (2011–2012)
12,693 (2012–2013)
12,707 (2013–present)[3]
SurfaceHardwood
Construction
Broke groundSeptember 18, 1965
OpenedDecember 6, 1967
Renovated1998, 2001, 2012[3]
Construction cost$7.2 million ($65.8 million in 2023 dollars)[4]
ArchitectDaniel L. Dworsky Associates
Kenneth C. Black Associates, Inc.[5]
General contractorSpence Brothers Company[5]
Tenants
Michigan Men's Basketball (NCAA) (1967–present)
Michigan Women's Basketball (NCAA) (1974–present)
Michigan Women's Gymnastics (NCAA) (1978–1989, 2004–present)
Former tenants
Michigan Men's Gymnastics (1978–1989)
Michigan Wrestling (1967–1989)
Michigan Volleyball (1984–1986)

Crisler Center (formerly known as the University Events Building and Crisler Arena) is an indoor arena located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the home arena for the University of Michigan's men's and women's basketball teams as well as its women's gymnastics team.[3] Constructed in 1967, the arena seats 12,707 spectators. It is named for Herbert O. "Fritz" Crisler, head football coach at Michigan from 1938 to 1947 and athletic director thereafter until his retirement in 1968. Crisler Center was designed by Dan Dworsky, a member of the 1948 Rose Bowl-winning Michigan football team. Among other structures that he has designed is the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Los Angeles Branch.

The arena is often called "The House that Cazzie Built", a reference to player Cazzie Russell, who starred on Michigan teams that won three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles from 1964 to 1966. Russell's popularity caused the team's fan base to outgrow Yost Fieldhouse (now Yost Ice Arena) and prompted the construction of the current facility.[1][2]

At Michigan men's basketball games, the bleacher seats behind the benches are home to the Maize Rage student section.

  1. ^ a b Kornacki, Steve (October 29, 2014). "Michigan Great Russell Reflects on 'The House That Cazzie Built'". MGoBlue. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Dorn, Mihn (November 5, 2016). "Russell visits 'the house he built' for the very first time". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Crisler Center Archived 2012-01-01 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  4. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "University Events Building - Crisler Arena". University of Michigan. Retrieved November 9, 2013.