Ground-breaking for the University of South Carolina's new 330,000-square foot multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility, the Colonial Center, took place April 25, 2001, at a site located adjacent to the corner of Greene and Gadsen Streets in Columbia - just two blocks away from the Carolina Coliseum. The project, which started as an idea on the part of the athletics department, is the result of a cooperative effort on the part of USC, the state of South Carolina, the city of Columbia, Richland and Lexington Counties.

Beers Construction, which has worked on such facilities as Phillips Arena, the Georgia Dome and Turner Field in Atlanta, was the general contractor for the project. Fred Krenson, of Rosser and Associates, was the chief architect.

On November 22, 2002, over 17,000 fans gathered to witness the first game to be played in the new Colonial Center in which the Lady Gamecocks defeated rival Clemson by a final score of 72-58.

Located on the beautiful University of South Carolina campus, this new $63 million one-of-a-kind facility features:

The Colonial Center is not only the 10th largest on-campus basketball facility in the United States but is also the 4th largest basketball facility in the Southeastern Conference. In addition, it serves as the venue for numerous concerts and other entertainment events, with the cpability of accomodating as many as 19,000 spectators.

Yet, the Colonial Center is designed so each seat has a terrific view of the action. The upper deck is pushed as far forward as possible, creating an intimate feel to the expansive space. Every seat in the house has a superior view, including those at the top of the upper deck. With its tight "bowl" seating, the Colonial Center is a loud, intimidating place for the Gamecocks to play basketball. According to lead architect Fred Krenson, the top row of the new arena is closer to the playing floor than the top row of the Carolina Coliseum. The center is modeled after Bud Walton Arena in Arkansas, widely considered to be one of the top basketball venues in the country.

The multimillion dollar, center-mounted scoreboard is a state-of-the-art multi-sensory showpiece, with high definition video screens on all four sides so you won't miss a thing. Whether you're checking the score, keeping track of statistics, or watching the television-quality replays, the scoreboard itself is worth the price of admission. In addition, high definition video screens are engineered so you never miss any of the action. Everything about the Center is top notch to maximize and enhance your experience. Public concourse areas are spacious and include numerous restrooms with extra conveniences for women. Food court-style concession stands provide plenty of unique food choices that will delight fans of all ages - with less waiting time. And when the sound and lighting systems are cranked up, you'll be in awe of the acoustics! Add to all of this that the center is located in the Congaree Vista, Columbia's eclectic dining and entertainment district, and you'll be able to have a wonderful time before, during, and after, an evening out at the Colonial Center!

The Colonial Center is equipped with accessible parking, ramps outside and inside of the arena, and elevators for easy access to all seating.

There are several parking lots surrounding the arena which are accessible from Blossom, Greene and Lincoln Street. Handicap parking is available in all lots. Parking fees in surrounding lots will vary from event to event.

Please call the Colonial Center at (803) 576-9200 for more information.