James H. Hilton Coliseum, commonly Hilton Coliseum, is a 14,267-seat multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectator ...

located in

Ames, Iowa Ames () is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States, located approximately north of Des Moines in central Iowa. It is best known as the home of Iowa State University (ISU), with leading agriculture, design, engineering, and veterinary me ...

. The arena opened in 1971. It is home to the

Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of th ...

Cyclones men's and

women's A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardle ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

teams,

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat s ...

gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, s ...

and

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...

teams.

Overview

The building was constructed in 1971 as part of the

Iowa State Center The Iowa State Center is located just southeast of Iowa State University's central campus in Ames, Iowa. It is a complex of cultural and athletic venues. The Center consists of the following: Hilton Coliseum, Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater ...

, an athletic and cultural events area located southeast of the main campus. The Coliseum was named after Dr. James H. Hilton, ISU's president from 1953 to 1965, who pushed for the construction of the facility. The

also includes

Jack Trice Stadium Jack Trice Stadium (originally Cyclone Stadium and formerly Jack Trice Field, sometimes referred to as "the Jack") is a stadium located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the Iowa State Cyc ...

, C.Y. Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater and Scheman Continuing Education Building. Hilton Coliseum and

replaced the Iowa State Armory and

Clyde Williams Stadium Clyde Williams Field was an outdoor stadium on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. It was the home of the Iowa State Cyclones football and track and field teams. It was originally built in 1914–15, just south of the recently c ...

, at the corner of Union Dr. & Sheldon Ave. The first band to ever perform at the Hilton Coliseum was Meloncolony, a band composed of Midwest natives: Chuck Vail (singer), Wayne Groff (organ), Matt Peterson (bass), Clint Dudley (guitar), and Bob Curtis (drums). The band performed at an event organized by the YMCA to both entertain and encourage 2,300 locals to register to vote. Of the 2,300, 200 people registered that night. Phish played the arena in both 1996 and 1999. The arena hosted the 1972 NCAA basketball tournament Midwest Regionals, as well as the 1982, 1988 and 1993 NCAA wrestling championships. The arena is also the site of the annual Iowa All State Music Festival. It has also hosted commencements, concerts, conventions and other assemblies. A record basketball crowd of 15,000 saw the Cyclones post a 97-94 win over Iowa in 1971. Until Wells Fargo Arena in

Des Moines Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines ...

was built, Hilton Coliseum was Central Iowa's premier entertainment venue.

Hilton Magic

"Hilton Magic", the power of the Coliseum faithful to produce unexpected victories, was first recognized by ''

Des Moines Register ''The Des Moines Register'' is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa. History Early period The first newspaper in Des Moines was the ''Iowa Star''. In July 1849, Barlow Granger began the paper in an abandoned log cabin by the juncti ...

'' sportswriter Buck Turnbull. On a Feb. 14, 1989, showdown with No. 3

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

, the Cyclones conjured up the spirit of the Hilton crowd to produce a stunning 82–75 victory. The following day’s headline read “Hilton Magic Spells ‘Upset’ One More Time.” In the article, Turnbull called for more “Hilton Magic” in the Cyclones’ upcoming bout with

Oklahoma State Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, ...

, which had pummeled ISU, 102–74, just three weeks earlier. On cue, “Hilton Magic” displayed its powers, as the Cyclones defeated the Cowboys, 90–81, marking a 37-point reversal from the season’s prior meeting. Hilton Coliseum was specifically built to hold in sound with a solid concrete structure, steel doors, and a crowd that sits just a few feet from the court. With a fan base that frequently ranks among the nation's largest crowds, players from opposing teams, as well as Iowa State, have said that the floor has shaken due to the loudness of the crowd. After more than two decades, the term “Hilton Magic” still applies today. This reality was never more apparent than ISU’s school-record 39-game homecourt winning streak that ended during the 2001-02 season. The streak, which spanned four different basketball seasons, was the second-longest in the nation at the time. In 2003-04, Iowa State went 17–1 in Hilton, recording the second-best single-season home win total in school history. In 2011-12, Iowa State went 16–2 with second year head coach and Iowa State alum, "The Mayor"

Fred Hoiberg Fredrick Kristian Hoiberg (born October 15, 1972) is an American college basketball coach and former player. He has served as the men's head basketball coach at the University of Nebraska since 2019. Hoiberg grew up in Ames, Iowa, and played coll ...

. On March 2, 2015, the Cyclones made one of its most miraculous comebacks in school history. Trailing by 21 points early in the second half, No. 17 Iowa State rallied to beat No. 15

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

, 77–70, in Hilton Coliseum. The 21-point come-from-behind victory tied the largest comeback in school history. In the last 7 seasons (2012–2018) Iowa State is 94–16 in Hilton Coliseum, but went 9–7 in Hilton Coliseum in 2018.

Athletic Events

Basketball

James H. Hilton Coliseum is recognized as one of the finest facilities for collegiate basketball in the nation. CBS SportsLine.com’s Dan Wetzel rated Hilton No. 10 on his list of the nation’s top college basketball arenas. Until the completion of the Sukup Practice Facility in the fall of 2009, both Cyclone squads held practices and games in the 14,384-seat arena. Both women's and men's teams continue to play home games at Hilton. Hilton offers newly refurbished dressing rooms for both the ISU

and men's teams, and additional rooms for visiting teams and officials. Hilton also houses a weight room, training room, media room, and the newly refurbished offices of the women's volleyball team. Men and women's basketball offices were relocated to the Sukup Practice Facility on its completion. The men’s team has compiled a 112–24 (.824 winning percentage) home record during the last eight years. Iowa State has posted 10 or more home victories in the last 14 seasons. Hilton Magic has been ever-present recently, helping the Cyclones tally a school-record 39 consecutive wins in the facility. The Cyclones went undefeated at home during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons and increased their winning streak to 30 games at the beginning of the 2001-02 campaign. Iowa State and Hilton broke NIT attendance marks in 2004. The Cyclones drew 12,196 and 14,020 fans in their two NIT games they hosted, averaging 13,144 fans per contest. The Cyclones were 30th nationally in attendance in 2005 and were 26th in 2006. The Iowa State women ranked among the top 11 nationally in women’s basketball attendance average for the eighth consecutive year last season, playing in front of 7,667 fans per game. Cyclone fans are getting their money’s worth, as ISU recorded its third undefeated home slate (15–0) in Hilton Coliseum in 2004-05. In 2009, the Cyclones had the 3rd highest attendance average in the nation. The Cyclones recorded the first women’s basketball sellout crowd when 14,092 attended the WNIT double-header in Hilton Coliseum on March 25, 2004. ISU defeated Saint Joseph's, 66–58, to advance to the WNIT Final Four. Iowa State and its enthusiastic crowds earned the Cyclones a homecourt advantage for all four WNIT postseason games. Both the men’s and women’s teams closed out the 2000-01 season with nationally ranked home win streaks. Together, the two programs posted a 65–1 record in Hilton Coliseum in the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons combined. In 2001-02 the combined men’s and women’s basketball attendance ranked 6th nationally (22,406). During the 2014-15 season, the Cyclone women scored major upsets at home against No. 3

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

, 59–57, on Jan. 10, and No. 3 Baylor, 76–71, on Senior Day, Feb. 28, 2015. On January 17, 2015, Hilton Coliseum hosted ESPN's College Gameday in front of roughly 7,000 fans. That evening, a sold-out Hilton saw the No. 11 Cyclones defeat No. 9

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

, 86–81. Through the 2017-18 season, the Iowa State men's basketball team boasts a 544–179 record at Hilton Coliseum.

Wrestling

Some of the most cherished moments in Hilton Coliseum history have come by way of the tradition-rich ISU wrestling program. Hilton was home to Cael Sanderson’s unprecedented, undefeated 4-year career of 159–0 and his quartet of national championships. Fans in Hilton on January 9, 1981, also had the privilege of seeing Dave Osenbaugh’s pin of national heavyweight champion

Lou Banach Ludwig David "Lou" Banach (born February 6, 1960) is an American athlete who won a gold medal in wrestling in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was noted with his fraternal twin brother Ed Banach for both winning gold medals in frees ...

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

. The Iowa State wrestling program has hosted five

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...

Championship events in 1974, 1979, 1982, 1988 and 1993 and Hilton has been home to eight conference meets in 1976, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1994, 1999, 2004, and most recently in 2006.

Gymnastics

James H. Hilton Coliseum is recognized as one of the finest facilities in the nation and provides a top-notch home for the Iowa State gymnastics team, playing host to the 2000 Big 12 Championship and the 2006 NCAA Regional Meet.

Volleyball

The Iowa State volleyball team also calls Hilton Coliseum home. The Cyclones hosted the NCAA First Round in 1995 at Hilton Coliseum, defeating No. 22

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Monta ...

in straight sets on Nov. 29, in the Cyclones' first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Iowa State also hosted NCAA First and Second Round games in 2009, 2011, and 2012.

Concerts

*Aerosmith *Bad Company *Billy Joel *Bruce Springsteen *Cheap Trick *Commodores *Eagles *Elton John *Garth Brooks *Guns and Roses *Inxs *James Taylor *Justin Timberlake *Martina McBride *Metallica *Olivia Newton John *Queen *Sugarland *The Cult *The Who

Construction

Previous Construction

The arena received a new $2.5 million video and sound system in 2006. These improvements are just the beginning of the up $60 million in planned renovation and construction to the facility, over the next 10 years. For the start of the 2016-2017 Men's Basketball season new blackout lighting was introduced that allows the stadium to be blacked out and then immediately resume normal lighting conditions. This allows them to provide special lighting sequences like when announcing players before a game starts.

Flooding

Hilton Coliseum was constructed in the flood plain of Ioway Creek. The Coliseum has been inundated with flood water in both 1993 and 2010, but its mostly concrete design simplifies restoring it to service after floods.

References

External links

Iowa State Center Official Website

Iowa State Cyclones official athletic site

Iowa State University's Hilton Coliseum
{{Authority control College basketball venues in the United States College wrestling venues in the United States Iowa State Cyclones basketball venues Iowa State Cyclones wrestling venues Basketball venues in Iowa 1971 establishments in Iowa Sports venues completed in 1971 College volleyball venues in the United States College gymnastics venues in the United States