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Nutter Center
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The Nutter Center is a multi-purpose arena located at Wright State University, in Fairborn, Ohio.[2][3] It mainly serves as the home court of the Wright State Raiders men's and women's basketball teams. It is also regularly used as a music venue for touring concerts[4][5] and shows and for area high school graduation ceremonies.
Key Information
History
[edit]A local businessman and inventor, Ervin J. Nutter, donated $1.5 million to Wright State University in 1986. Funds from both the state of Ohio and the university contributed an additional $8 million to construction efforts which began in 1988. Work was completed twenty months later and on December 1, 1990, the Nutter Center held its first official event.[6][7]
Events
[edit]Sports
[edit]- The first ever WWE King of the Ring event in 1993
- 2002 Kelly Cup Finals (games 3 and 4)
- 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001 & 2007 Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League) men's basketball tournament.
- 2014 Horizon League championship game
- The Harlem Globetrotters have performed at the Nutter Center every New Year's Eve since at least 2005.[8][9][10][11]
Other
[edit]Gloria Estefan played the Nutter Center on her comeback “Into The Light World Tour” on August 19, 1991.
Dire Straits played on their final tour, the ‘On Every Street’ tour. They played the Nutter Center on February 21, 1992.
- The band Phish played a concert at the venue on December 7, 1997, which was released in its entirety on their 2008 live album Live Phish 12.07.97.[19] Phish also played at the venue in 1995, 2017, & 2023.[20]
- Barack Obama's "Keeping America’s Promise" rally, on Monday, February 25, 2008.
- “Road to the Convention Rally” on August 29, 2008, at which time Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, was announced as presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain's vice-presidential candidate, or running mate.
- On May 17–18, 2013, the Nutter Center hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2013 Science Olympiad National Tournament.
- July 22, 2015, the band Eagles performed one of their last stops on their History of the Eagles Tour.
- The Nutter Center was originally scheduled to host the first 2016 presidential debate but the venue was changed due to security and financial concerns.[21]
- The Nutter Center is frequently used as a competition venue for the Winter Guard International indoor percussion, color guard, and winds championship.
- On May 19–20, 2017, the Nutter Center hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2017 Science Olympiad National Tournament.
- On November 16, 2022, touring giant Dave Matthews Band played the arena.[22]
See also
[edit]- E.J. Nutter Training Facility - a college football training facility at the University of Kentucky also named after Ervin J. Nutter
- List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas
References
[edit]- ^ 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.
- ^ Brenda Burns (1 December 1990). "Big Time". The Urbana Daily Citizen. p. 9. Retrieved 3 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Harley E. Flack (28 November 1994). "Reports of Nutter Center's demise are greatly exaggerated". Dayton Daily News. p. 11A. Retrieved 3 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Dave Larsen (26 December 2010). "Nutter Center brings the stars and the spotlight to the region". Dayton Daily News. p. 13. Retrieved 3 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Max Filby (16 December 2016). "Nutter concerts a hit; sports struggle". Springfield News-Sun. p. B6. Retrieved 3 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wright State University's Ervin J. Nutter Center Historical Overview". Nutter Center. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
- ^ "Nutter Center 15 years of history". Dayton Daily News. 26 June 2006. p. 8. Retrieved 3 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters @ Nutter Center". Newspapers.com. Cincinnati Enquirer. December 31, 2005. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters @ Nutter Center". Newspapers.com. Cincinnati Enquirer. December 31, 2006. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters @ Nutter Center". Newspapers.com. Cincinnati Enquirer. December 31, 2007. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters @ Nutter Center". Newspapers.com. Cincinnati Enquirer. December 31, 2008. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters "4 Times the Fun" World Tour". Nutter Center. December 31, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters". Nutter Center. December 31, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters "You Write the Rules" World Tour". Nutter Center. December 31, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters "Fans Rule" World Tour". Nutter Center. December 31, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters". Nutter Center. December 31, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Harlem Globetrotters World Tour". Nutter Center. December 31, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "The Original Harlem Globetrotters". Nutter Center. December 31, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Live Phish: 12.07.97 Ervin J. Nutter Center, Dayton, OH - Phish | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
- ^ "Archived Tours". Phish. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
- ^ "University pulls out of presidential debate". CNN. July 19, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "DMBAlmanac.com²". dmbalmanac.com.
External links
[edit]Nutter Center
View on GrokipediaHistory
Founding and construction
In 1986, Ervin J. Nutter, a Dayton-area businessman, engineer, inventor, and philanthropist, donated $1.5 million to Wright State University to initiate the development of a multi-purpose arena on its campus.[2][5] This gift catalyzed the planning and funding efforts for what would become the Ervin J. Nutter Center, intended to serve as a venue for university athletics, concerts, and regional events.[2] Construction broke ground in 1988, following architectural design by HOK Sport (now Populous) and KZF Design, with the project aimed at creating a 12,000-seat facility equipped for basketball, ice hockey, and entertainment productions.[6] The total construction cost reached $34.5 million, funded through a combination of Nutter's donation, university resources, and public contributions.[7] Over a 20-month build period, the arena incorporated features like a hardwood basketball floor convertible to an ice rink measuring 200 by 85 feet.[8] The facility was completed in late 1990, marking a significant expansion for Wright State University's infrastructure to support its growing athletic programs and attract off-campus events.[9]Opening and early operations
The Ervin J. Nutter Center initiated operations on December 1, 1990, with its first event—a Wright State Raiders men's basketball game against Tennessee State University, marking the team's home opener in the new facility.[10] The $34 million arena, designed for multi-purpose use including university athletics and public gatherings, rapidly transitioned from construction completion to active programming.[11] A formal opening concert by the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra followed on December 15, 1990, highlighting the venue's entertainment capabilities.[12] Early operations emphasized diverse programming to establish the center as a regional hub, booking 120 events in its first seven months from December 1990 to June 1991.[13] The facility served as the primary home for Wright State University's intercollegiate sports, particularly basketball and volleyball, accommodating up to 8,000 spectators for games while supporting the Raiders' transition to Division I competition.[3] Concerts began promptly, with the inaugural rock performance on January 10, 1991, featuring ZZ Top and the Black Crowes, drawing audiences beyond the university community.[11] These initial activities underscored the center's role in boosting campus visibility and local economic activity, with events spanning sports, music, and expositions that filled its configurable seating and auxiliary spaces.[2] By mid-1991, the venue had solidified its operational model, balancing university priorities with revenue-generating public bookings to offset maintenance costs.[14]Facilities and specifications
Arena capacity and configurations
The Ervin J. Nutter Center features a flexible seating arrangement with a maximum capacity of approximately 11,200 for end-stage concerts and in-the-round configurations.[15][16] This setup utilizes the full arena floor and upper levels, supported by a 70-foot-high curtain and truss system that allows adjustments for various event scales.[15] For basketball games, the arena configures to approximately 9,500 seats, accommodating the court layout while providing sideline and baseline seating.[15] Half-house configurations, suitable for smaller events like theater productions or partial-stage shows, range from approximately 2,000 to 7,500 seats, enabling cost-effective operations by limiting access to sections of the venue.[15]| Configuration | Approximate Capacity |
|---|---|
| End-stage concert | 11,200[15] |
| In-the-round | 11,200[15] |
| Basketball | 9,500[15] |
| Half-house | 2,000–7,500[15] |

