United Spirit Arena

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = United Spirit Arena
nickname =


location = 1701 Indiana Ave
Lubbock, TX 79409
broke_ground = March 27, 1997cite web|url=http://amarillo.com/stories/032797/tech.html|title=Texas Tech breaking new ground|publisher="Amarillo Globe-News"|date=1997-03-27]
opened = November 20, 1999
closed =
demolished =
owner = Texas Tech University
operator = Texas Tech University
surface = Hardwood
construction_cost = $62 million USD [cite web|url=http://lubbockonline.com/stories/100199/loc_1001990015.shtml|title=A grand time on tap for unveiling of Spirit Arena|publisher="Lubbock Avalanche-Journal"|date=1999-10-01|last=Altenbaumer|first=Kara]
architect = Rosser International, Atlanta
former_names =
tenants = Texas Tech Red Raiders (NCAA) (1999-Present)
seating_capacity = 15,020

United Spirit Arena is a 15,020-seat multi-purpose arena in Lubbock, Texas. The arena opened in 1999. It is home to the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Lady Raiders basketball teams and volleyball team. United Supermarkets, a Lubbock based supermarket chain with numerous stores in west Texas, was a major contributor. Thus, it was granted naming rights. Prior to the building of the arena, the teams played in the nearby City Bank Coliseum.

Notable events

* The first basketball game was played in the arena on November 19, 1999. Texas Tech lost 68-60 to Indiana, [cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20060221194934/http://usarena.com/stories/112099/are_MPS-4770.shtml|title=Despite falling short, Red Raiders pleased|accessdate=2008-09-23|publisher="Lubbock Avalanche-Journal"|date=1999-11-20|last=Rosetta|first=Randy] whose legendary coach Bob Knight would later become the head coach of Texas Tech's men's basketball team.
* Elton John's performance on February 8, 2000 was the first concert to be held at United Spirit Arena.
* In the summer of 2002, Britney Spears brought her Dream Within a Dream Tour to the arena. After the second song, "(You Drive Me) Crazy", a power outage occurred and the rest of the concert had to be canceled. Spears, along with her tour manager, came onstage to explain the situation to the sold out crowd. Due to Spears being overbooked for the entire tour, there was no time to reschedule the concert. [cite web|url=http://media.www.dailytoreador.com/media/storage/paper870/news/2002/06/21/CampusNews/Spears.Not.Returning.Despite.Arena.Officials.Plea-1274374.shtml|title=Spears not returning despite arena officials plea|publisher="The Daily Toreador"|accessdate=2007-11-24|date=2002-06-21|last=Gilbreth|first=Kristin]
* United Spirit Arena has hosted WWE RAW (the first RAW ever to be hosted in Lubbock) in May 2006.
* On January 1, 2007, a 70-68 defeat of New Mexico by Texas Tech marked the 880th total win for Bobby Knight, making him the winningest coach in men's college basketball history.
* On May 4, 2007, the Houston Comets with former Lady Raiders Sheryl Swoopes and Erin Grant played a WNBA exhibition game against the Detroit Shock with Plenette Pierson, also a former Lady Raider. [cite web|url=http://texastech.cstv.com/genrel/040207aaa.html|title=Tickets on Sale Now for WNBA Game in Lubbock|publisher=Texas Tech Official Athletic Site|date=2007-04-02]

References

External links

* [http://www.depts.ttu.edu/unitedspiritarena Official Website]
* [http://texastech.collegesports.com/facilities/usa.html Pictures Website]