who was credited for Penn State's entrance into the Big Ten Conference Center promoters held big plans for the Jordan Center's future. The manageopens new horizons for ment contacted many big name performers. Happy Valley "The Jordan Center is In a very central location between other marketS," said Gibson. On a chilly January evening, loyal Nittany Lion fans entered a strange loc)m· "Traveling pe rformers have routes which lngstructu re, ullOware of what they would take them through ciHes across the United find inside.Onceinside,theyweregrcctcd St.1tes. State College is lcx:Ated between Pitts· by a brand new. state-of-the art arena burgh a nd Phi ladelph ia, so it would be a with all the modern amenities that a filn logical stop on the performers' routes." could possibly wish for. Tlus bwldmg Many people had opinions on the was the Bryce Jordan Center, the most new facility. "it's pretty awesome," said Paul AlexanderofWTAJTV-10. Many media and celebra led .iddition to the Penn State cam· " · c--11 news personnel were excited about movin g pus hi many years. The center served Penn State, the State The Marqutt, l~nled nl Ilic intcmcrion ofC11rlarn Road to a more advanced and high·tech arena. College community and beyond as n cell· n11d Univm;ity Drcv•, i.cnfN1bltofd1splnylng mort l/1a11 Mr.JimStump,facu ltymember,commented, ter forcnlcrlainmentand rt!Creation. "The SQ colors nnd Is 11std lo ndvtrtisc 11pcomi11g e1JC11ts ut tit< " I think that the Bryce Jordan Center will be Jordan Centl'r will feature all kinds of /ordnn Ce11t<r. benefldal to the community for many years to come." Others who were employed by the concerts,circusesandotherfamllyshows, WWF wrestling matches, trade shows, convenHons, nationally University enjoyed the thought of moving on to better and bigger known speakers, ice shows, Penn State athletics. and professional things. '1'mexcited about the new BryceJordanCcnterbccauseil will exhibitions," explained Tom Gibson, Director of Auxiliary Ser· give rne an opportunity to move to a different working environ· v1ces at Penn State. -rheJordan Center will attract a lot of people ment," said Sara Bcc.kcr, who sold programs during men's basketball to Slate College during different seasons." games. TI1e welcome addition of the Bryce Jordan Center was hoped to TI1~ arena opened on January 6 for winter commencement actw1ties. The first athletic event in the Jorda!\ Center was held on become an integral part of entertainment and recreation in Central )an uary l 1 for a nationally televised men'sbasketballgameagains l Pennsylvania for ma ny years to come. Minnesota. TI1e center has a seating capacity of 16,000, and fca. tu res one of the la rgest portable basketball noors in the world. The Tire Bryce /ordarr Ctttler cs ori. uf the lars""t buildi11gs 011 tltt f'rmr State Campus. arena was ni1Illed after fomier Penn State Presid en t Bryce Jordan, II can seal up ta 16,IXKl, 111nrt thnrr doublt tlieS"1lti11g capncityofIts prtdrce;;>or,Rec
Bryce Jordan Center
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