Alico Arena, located in beautiful Fort Myers, Fla., is a 120,000 square-foot complex and serves as the centerpiece of Florida Gulf Coast University's NCAA Division I athletics program. Opened in the fall of 2002, Alico Arena also serves as the home of the Campus Fitness and Recreation and Intramurals, as well as the Human Performance and Athletic Training programs in the College of Health Sciences. It is also home to the FGCU volleyball and basketball programs. A naming rights gift by Alico Incorporated significantly enhanced the facility. Alico Arena has 4,500 seats in an oval configuration and a permanent hardwood floor. It includes four full-sized basketball courts and six suites. In addition to the arena, the facility includes offices for the Athletics Department and arena staff, as well as 12 locker rooms, and a hospitality room. FGCU’s locker room is conveniently located in Alico Arena just steps from the court. The locker room recently underwent an upgrade with the addition of a new entertainment center, couches, and new paint scheme.
In 2004 FGCU began play in Alico Arena posting an impressive 8-1 mark in that debut season. Since then the Eagles have averaged exactly nine wins a season at Alico Arena. The Blue and Green are 54-7 all-time in Alico, winning nearly 89-percent of their home matches. FGCU hosted over 5,000 fans during the 2009 season, with an average attendance of 391 per match. In 2006, FGCU set a singleseason attendance record, averaging 788 fans per contest. In addition to recreation and athletic functions, Alico Arena is designed to host music and entertainment events, concerts, speakers, road shows, trade shows, and corporate events. Since its opening, Alico Arena has already hosted several special events including the Hillmyer-Tremont Classic, the National Independent Basketball tournament, the 2007 NCAA Division II South Regional, and multiple WNIT basketbll games. Each summer basketball and volleyball camps are also held in this state of the art facility. The arena has also been the site of several concerts, including Dierks Bentley and the Beach Boys. Alico Arena has also hosted events for U.S. Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev, retired General Colin Powell, and acclaimed poet and author Maya Angelou.
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