The Pavilion
Encyclopedia
The Pavilion is a 6,500-seat multi-purpose arena
in Villanova, Pennsylvania
, United States
, about 20 miles outside of Philadelphia
. It was built in 1985, and is home to the Villanova University
Wildcats basketball
teams. It is recognizable from the outside for its hyperbolic paraboloid roofline, similar to Alfond Arena
at the University of Maine
. It replaced the still-existing Villanova Field House
, later renamed the "Jake Nevin Field House," a small arena-auditorium built in 1932. The first men's game played at the Pavilion took place on Saturday, February 1, 1986 versus the University of Maryland. The basketball court only takes up half the space of the building; it is expandable as an indoor track facility and recreation center. For games where larger crowds are expected, Villanova plays at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia (where Villanova holds the record for largest Pennsylvania crowd to ever watch a college basketball game). The Pavilion is known for its famed student section, which constitutes a full third of the seating. Located in the south end of the Pavilion the student bleachers seat 2,000 students but have been known to be filled with as many as 2,500 students.
For their 2010 season, the Philadelphia Freedoms tennis team has announced that The Pavilion will be their new home court.
The facility was originally known as John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion, as it was funded by John Eleuthère du Pont
, a member of the wealthy and influential du Pont family
. In 1997, the du Pont name was removed from the facility, with the family's tacit permission, after John was convicted of the murder
of Olympic
wrestling
gold medal
ist Dave Schultz
.
The arena is also used for concerts, conventions
, trade shows, graduation
ceremonies and other special events. The arena floor measures 23016 square feet (2,138.3 m²); there are two meeting rooms.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Villanova, Pennsylvania
Villanova, Pennsylvania
Villanova is a community in the United States Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It straddles Lower Merion Township of Montgomery County and Radnor Township of Delaware County. It is located at the center of the Pennsylvania Main Line, a series of highly affluent Philadelphia suburban towns located...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, about 20 miles outside of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. It was built in 1985, and is home to the Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
Wildcats basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
teams. It is recognizable from the outside for its hyperbolic paraboloid roofline, similar to Alfond Arena
Alfond Arena
Alfond Arena is a 5,712-seat multi-purpose arena in Orono, Maine, USA. The arena opened in 1977. It is home to the University of Maine Black Bears ice hockey and basketball teams. It is recognizable for its distinctive multi-angular roof design, which was also used in the Pavilion at Villanova...
at the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
. It replaced the still-existing Villanova Field House
Jake Nevin Field House
The Jake Nevin Field House is an arena-auditorium at Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The arena, built in 1932, is the former home of the Villanova basketball program prior to the construction of The Pavilion in 1986...
, later renamed the "Jake Nevin Field House," a small arena-auditorium built in 1932. The first men's game played at the Pavilion took place on Saturday, February 1, 1986 versus the University of Maryland. The basketball court only takes up half the space of the building; it is expandable as an indoor track facility and recreation center. For games where larger crowds are expected, Villanova plays at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia (where Villanova holds the record for largest Pennsylvania crowd to ever watch a college basketball game). The Pavilion is known for its famed student section, which constitutes a full third of the seating. Located in the south end of the Pavilion the student bleachers seat 2,000 students but have been known to be filled with as many as 2,500 students.
For their 2010 season, the Philadelphia Freedoms tennis team has announced that The Pavilion will be their new home court.
The facility was originally known as John Eleuthère du Pont Pavilion, as it was funded by John Eleuthère du Pont
John Eleuthère du Pont
John Eleuthère duPont was an American multimillionaire and member of the prominent du Pont family who was convicted of murder in the third degree...
, a member of the wealthy and influential du Pont family
Du Pont family
The Du Pont family is an American family descended from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours . The son of a Paris watchmaker and a member of a Burgundian noble family, he and his sons, Victor Marie du Pont and Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, emigrated to the United States in 1800 and used the resources of...
. In 1997, the du Pont name was removed from the facility, with the family's tacit permission, after John was convicted of the murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
of Olympic
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
wrestling
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
ist Dave Schultz
Dave Schultz (amateur wrestler)
David Leslie Schultz was an Olympic and world champion freestyle wrestler.-Early life:...
.
The arena is also used for concerts, conventions
Convention (meeting)
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
, trade shows, graduation
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
ceremonies and other special events. The arena floor measures 23016 square feet (2,138.3 m²); there are two meeting rooms.