Sawyer Center

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Carl and Marsha Sawyer Center| nickname = | Sawyer Center

location = Southern Nazarene Univerisity
Bethany, OK 73008
broke_ground = | opened = February 11, 1999
closed =
demolished =
owner = Southern Nazarene University
operator =
surface =
construction_cost=
architect =
former_names = | tenants = Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm
(Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball & volleyball)
seating_capacity = 5,000The Carl and Marcia Sawyer Center (Sawyer Center) is the main athletic facility for Southern Nazarene University. It opened on February 11 1999. The Sawyer Center seats a little over 5,000 for Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm basketball, Volleyball. In addition to SNU sporting events the Sawyer Center also host all of SNU's graduation ceremonies, SNU New Student Institute for welcome week activities and various other high school sporting events and tournaments. The Sawyer Center is the second gymnasium at SNU [ [http://sports.snu.edu/facilities_sawyer.asp Sawyer Center Homepage] ] .

The first event held in the Sawyer Center was SNU's annual Excel Auction on February 11, 1999. The first sporting event was on February 18, 1999 when the men's and women's basketball teams took on cross town rivals Oklahoma City University. The Crimson Storm defeated both of the Star's teams.

History with the NBA

During the New Orleans Hornets temporary relocation to Oklahoma City, the Sawyer Center was the official practice facility for the OKC/New Orleans Hornets [ [http://snu.edu/?p={E4161849-E79C-4F0C-AD27-33DC07C3ED45}&sc=-1&ni=761&fr=news SNU statement on NBA Hornets using Sawyer Center] .

Due to the catastrophic devastation brought by Hurricane Katrina upon the communities of southeastern Louisiana, the New Orleans Hornets franchise temporarily relocated their base of operations to Oklahoma City for two seasons in 2005-06 and 2006-07. During this time, the franchise was known as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. In these two seasons, the vast majority of home games were played at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, while a few remained at New Orleans Arena. During this relocation period their practice facility while in Oklahoma City was the Sawyer Center. It was dubbed as the "best practice facility in all of the NBA".

When Oklahoma City purchased the Oklahoma City Thunder from Seattle, the Sawyer Center will also serve as the temporary practice facility for the new Thunder team [Announcement made at the press conference Wednesday September 2nd, 2008 in Oklahoma City. Sawyer Center only a temporary site] .

References

ee also

* Southern Nazarene University
* Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm
* NAIA