Since the doors opened on December 1, 1969, Hofheinz Pavilion has provided University of Houston teams with a decided home-court advantage while giving fans a splendid view for top-flight NCAA action. With the addition of luxury suites ringing the top rim of seats

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for the 1998-99 seasons, capacity of Hofheinz stands at 8,500.

In addition to its convenient location on the corner of Cullen Blvd. and Holman Street, Hofheinz' low ceiling lets fans feel close to the action. Theatre-style cushion seats encircle the court without any obstruction, providing an excellent view from any seat. Recent improvements have modernized the facility and enhanced its charm.

The first athletic event at the Pavilion occurred on December 1, 1969 as the UH men's basketball team defeated Southwestern Louisiana 89-72 before a crowd of 7,000. Since that time, over 2.2 million fans have seen the Cougar men's team play in Hofheinz.

The Lady Cougars have played a winning brand of basketball in Hofheinz

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Pavilion from the very start as Hofheinz Pavilion is the only home court they have ever known in 23 seasons. UH has won 10 or more games in a season at Hofheinz nine times and only four times have the Lady Cougars finished with a record below .500 on the home court.

The newest full-time tenant of Hofheinz is the UH women's volleyball team, which began playing all of its home games in the Pavilion in 1990. The Cougars have posted an all-time winning percentage of better than 75% and were a perfect 15-0 at home in 1994.

Hofheinz Pavilion was named in honor of Judge Roy Hofheinz, the entrepreneur who gained world acclaim for conceiving

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and spearheading the city of Houston's construction of the Astrodome. Hofheinz and his wife, Irene, met as students at the University of Houston in 1929. They later created the Judge Roy Hofheinz Foundation which contributed $1.5 million toward the construction of the Pavilion.

The multipurpose facilty is also used for concerts, special events, convocations and student-sponsored activities. It has been the site for numerous University functions, such as commencement exercises and professional seminars and forums.

Hofheinz Pavilion has been renovated twice recently. A new ceiling, lighting and sound system were installed in 1991. In 1992, through a

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donation by alumni John and Rebecca Moores, the men's and women's basketball locker rooms were enlarged, and equipped with personal lockers for each Cougar and Lady Cougar player. Adjacent to the locker room is a meeting area and lounge furnished with couches, a color television, a stereo sound system and a pull-down projection screen.

Most Recently, in October 2004, the new Conor Uni-Force Flooring System was installed.

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