Robertson Memorial Field House was a multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...

on the Bradley University campus in

Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is a city in Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located on the Illinois River, the city had a population of 113,150 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Ill ...

. The arena, built inside two surplus

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

airplane hangars in 1949 for $400,000 ($ in present terms), had a 3-foot (1 meter) raised floor as its sports court and event stage. The Field House was dedicated on December 17, 1949, and named in honor of Alfred J. Robertson, usually known as "Robbie" or "A.J.", who served as Bradley's coach and athletic director for 28 years. When it opened, it had a

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

of 8,300, but more aisles and wider seats soon reduced capacity to 7,800. Since a 2004 renovation, its capacity had been 5,000. From 1949 to 1982, it was home to the Bradley University men's

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 (appro ...

team, whose winning record there was 400–100 before they moved to Carver Arena in 1982. From 1982 until 2008, the women's basketball 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 Summ ...

teams played their home games at the arena. It hosted the

Missouri Valley Conference The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the fourth-oldest collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the Midwestern Unite ...

men's basketball tournament title game in 1980. The 2007–2008 season was the final year of use for Robertson Memorial Field House; it hosted

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

women's basketball and volleyball. In April 2008, Robertson Memorial Field House was demolished. Bradley's new women's basketball arena, the Renaissance Coliseum, opened in October 2011 on the same plot previously occupied by the Field House.

References

External links

Remembering Robertson: The Field House Project
— '' Peoria Journal Star'' site with extensive history and pictures
BUBraves.com: Robertson Memorial Field House
— brief sports-related history {{Bradley Braves men's basketball navbox Sports venues completed in 1949 Sports venues demolished in 2008 Aircraft hangars in the United States Bradley Braves basketball Defunct college basketball venues in the United States College volleyball venues in the United States Demolished sports venues in Illinois Sports venues in Peoria, Illinois College basketball venues in Illinois Volleyball venues in Illinois 1949 establishments in Illinois 2008 disestablishments in Illinois