Charlotte Y. Martin Centre

Martin Centre
The Kennel
Full name Charlotte Y. Martin Centre
Former names John F. Kennedy Memorial Pavilion (1965–1987)
Location Gonzaga University
Spokane, Washington
Owner Gonzaga University
Operator Gonzaga University
Capacity 4,000
Construction
Broke ground June 3, 1964
Opened December 3, 1965
51 years ago
Renovated 1986
Construction cost $1.1 million
($8.27 million in 2016[1])
Tenants
Gonzaga Bulldogs - NCAA
(1965–present)

Charlotte Y. Martin Centre is an athletics center in the northwest United States, on the campus of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Its multi-purpose arena has a seating capacity of 4,000.[2]

Ground was broken in June 1964 on the $1.1 million center, which opened in late 1965 as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Pavilion, with a capacity of 3,800 for basketball.[3][4] The center included a 6-lane 25-yard (23 m) swimming pool.[3] The first varsity event on December 3 was a men's basketball game against Washington State, won by the Cougars 106–78 before an overflow crowd of 4,300.[5] Charlotte Martin, the daughter-in-law of former governor Clarence D. Martin,[6] donated $4.5 million for the renovation of the complex and it was renamed for her as part of Gonzaga's centennial celebrations on March 17, 1987.[4][7][8] Mrs. Martin died less than eight months later, at age 68.[6]

It is the home of the Gonzaga Bulldogs women's volleyball team, and was home of men's and women's basketball teams from its opening until the $25 million McCarthey Athletic Center opened in the fall of 2004.[9] An exception was the partial hiatus in the 1979–80 season when the men's team returned to its former home of the Spokane Coliseum for WCAC home games only,[8][10][11] The Pavilion was affectionately known as The Kennel, a reference to the enthusiastic capacity crowds for Bulldog basketball.[4]

In late 1968, the English rock group Led Zeppelin played their fifth-ever American concert at the Kennedy Pavilion on December 30, opening for Vanilla Fudge and erroneously billed as "Len Zefflin";[12][13] the first known bootleg recording of the band originated from this performance.[4][14] The bands were welcomed to Spokane with frigid sub-zero temperatures.[15]

References

  1. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  2. "Our region's arenas". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 18, 2004. p. O8.
  3. 1 2 Missildine, Harry (May 21, 1965). "Kennedy Pavilion heralds modern Gonzaga sports era". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 28.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Venue information and background
  5. Missildine, Harry (December 4, 1965). "New Pavilion big success - for Cougars". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 8.
  6. 1 2 Wagoner, Richard (November 4, 1987). "Advocate of education Charlotte Martin dies". Spokesman-Review. p. A1.
  7. Sparks, Jim (March 18, 1987). "Gonzaga dedicates center - with a flair". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). p. A3.
  8. 1 2 "Through The Ages – Homes of the Bulldogs" (PDF). 2007 Gonzaga University Men's Basketball Media Guide. Gonzaga University Athletics. p. 108. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
  9. Bergum, Steve (November 18, 2004). "Welcome home". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. O2.
  10. Missildine, Harry (February 15, 1980). "Zags are paying - for visiting teams, vacant Kennedy Pavilion". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 25.
  11. "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2007 Gonzaga University Men's Basketball Media Guide. Gonzaga University Athletics. pp. 123–133. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
  12. "Shows: 1968, Spokane, Washington". Led Zeppelin. December 30, 1968. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  13. "Concerts West presents:". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). (advertisement). December 30, 1968. p. 18.
  14. "Gonzaga '68". YouTube. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
  15. "Cold easing: mercury hits zero". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). December 31, 1968. p. 1.

External links

Coordinates: 47°39′56″N 117°24′02″W / 47.66556°N 117.40056°W / 47.66556; -117.40056


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