Robins Athletic Center
Site: Northwest side of campus off of College Road
Official Opening: December 2, 1972
Architect: Carneal & Johnston
Size: 320,000 square feet
The need for an athletic facility had been identified many years before the Robins Athletic Center opened. Students were especially thrilled by the news that the Robins family had agreed to fund the construction and it was finally going to be a reality. A May 22, 1970 article in the Collegian acknowledges that the Robins family agreed to fully fund the new facility even though the cost was going to be significantly higher than originally expected. The article states, “The Robins family has been a most benevolent benefactor, and we are most grateful for the aid that they have given our school. With the help they have given us the University of Richmond has the economic resources to grow into one of the finest private colleges in the East.”
The new athletic complex cost approximately $10 million to build. It was built to house a 9,200 seat basketball arena, a press box, a six lane swimming pool, handball and squash courts, wrestling facilities, and Olympic weight-room, an auxiliary gym with two intramural basketball courts, sauna and steam baths, and offices for physical education and coaching staffs. It was a world class facility and was expected to help improve the sports programs and student morale. A January 8, 1971 Collegian article expressed dismay that the new facility did not include an indoor track.
For 25 years prior to the opening of the Robins Center the basketball team played their “home’ games at various locations around the city including, the Armory, the Richmond Coliseum, the Richmond Arena, and Benedictine High School. Coach Mills was quoted as saying that the basketball “players never felt they had a home before.” Now they would have a home arena that was the “best in the South.” The original projected date for opening of the new facility was June 1, 1972 but strikes by both the plumbers and brick masons coupled with bad weather delayed the opening almost 6 months. The superintendent of the project for the construction firm Doyle and Russell was William K. Baisor. He pushed to have the facility ready for the team to have two weeks to practice before their first game.
The opening event was held on Saturday, December 2, 1972 with a men’s basketball game against the University of Maryland. Richmond was defeated 82-50. The new arena, trimmed in red and blue was filled with Spider fans. Dr. Heilman christened the facility saying that the Robins Center would serve “as a lasting tribute to and a constant reminder of the A. H. Robins family who donated $10 million for the finest facility of its kind in the South and who have helped the University in so many other ways.” The Robins family received a standing ovation from the crowd eager to express their gratitude.
E. Claiborne Robins, Jr. tossed out the first ball of the game. Frank Soden, introduced prospective football and basketball recruits to at half-time. Maryland coach, Lefty Drisell, praised the new facility saying, “this is really going to help Richmond” Prior to the opening night game there had been some concern about parking and traffic issues related to large crowds coming and going from the stadium at the same time. Chief Dillard estimated that over 2000 cars were parked on campus lots for the event and everything went smoothly. It was stated that everyone exited the campus within 15 minutes of the game being over.
On Monday, December 4, 1972 the University held a “Press Day.” Over 75 reporters attended which included lunch and a tour of the Robins Center. President Heilman, Athletic Director Frank Jones, and E. Claiborne Robins hosted the media. Robins was quoted as saying, “Now we have the best basketball facility in the nation.”
E. Claiborne Robins was born in 1910 and graduated from Richmond College in 1931. He married Lora McGlasson from Waco, Texas in 1938. He built the A. H. Robins Company in to one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Members of the Robins family have been Richmond’s greatest benefactors. In 1969 the family announced a gift of $50 million to the University. In addition to the Robins Athletic Center the family supported the construction of Robins Memorial Hall, Lora Robins Court, and the Lora Robins Gallery of Designs from Nature.
Sources:
UR website
VBHS building file
Collegian 1972
Alley, Reuben E. History of the University of Richmond, 1830-1971