The University of Houston has announced that the Fertitta Center will open on December 1, with a men’s basketball game to be played that day.
Formerly known as Hofheinz Pavilion, the Fertitta Center has been closed since last year to allow for work on a major $60 million overhaul. Houston’s men’s and women’s basketball programs played their 2017-18 home games at Texas Southern’s H&PE Arena to accommodate the construction schedule, and both teams are currently slated to begin playing at the Fertitta Center in early December.
For men’s basketball, the home opener will come on December 1, when Houston hosts Oregon. Women’s basketball, meanwhile, will play host to Texas A&M on December 5. The university announced the scheduling of both contests on Monday, and is planning to reveal game times at a later date.
Hofheinz Pavilion originally opened in 1969. It was announced by the university in 2016 that the overhauled venue would be renamed the Fertitta Center, an announcement that came after billionaire businessman Tilman Fertitta gifted $20 million for the project.
Rendering courtesy of the University of Houston.
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