Tom Gola Arena

40°02′24″N 75°09′24″W / 40.039993°N 75.15654°W / 40.039993; -75.15654Public transitBus transport SEPTA bus: 18, 26OwnerLa Salle UniversityOperatorLa Salle UniversityCapacity3,400SurfaceHardwoodConstructionBroke groundMay 17, 1997OpenedFebruary 21, 1998[2]Construction cost$6.3 million
($11.3 million in 2022 dollars[1])ArchitectEwingCole (Hayman Hall Addition)TenantsLa Salle Explorers (men's basketball, women's basketball)

Tom Gola Arena (also known as The Tom or The Gola) is a 3,400-seat multi-purpose arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania situated inside the TruMark Financial Center. It is home to the La Salle University Explorers men's and women's basketball teams.

This arena was named after former Explorers captain and head coach Tom Gola, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

History

The building was opened on February 21, 1998, with the men's basketball team defeating Virginia Tech 74–64.[2] La Salle had not played basketball on campus since leaving Wister Hall in 1955, the season after winning the 1954 NCAA Championship. The Explorers played at the Palestra from 1955 to 1989, the Philadelphia Civic Center from 1989 to 1996, and the First Union Spectrum from 1996 until the arena opened in 1998.

In Philadelphia's 2016 Summer Olympics bid, the arena was planned to host fencing.[3]

In 2021, the arena was equipped with two working smoke machines.[4]

See also

Gallery

  • Tom Gola Arena is located inside the Hayman Center
    Tom Gola Arena is located inside the Hayman Center

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b "La Salle Men's Basketball 2018-19 Media Guide" (PDF). La Salle University Athletics. November 18, 2018. p. 64. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  3. ^ "2016 Olympic venues". Archived from the original on 2006-06-16.
  4. ^ McQuade, Dan (December 8, 2021). "Behold The Glory Of The La Salle University Smoke Machine". Defector Media.

External links

  • Philadelphia portal
  • La Salle University Athletics - Tom Gola Arena
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