Marriott Center, college basketball arena in Provo, Utah, United States
The Marriott Center is a multi-purpose arena on the Brigham Young University campus in Provo, Utah, home to the Cougars men's and women's basketball teams. Its basketball seating capacity is officially 18,978, the largest of any arena in the Big 12 Conference. The court sits at roughly 4,650 feet (1,420 m) above sea level, and the building also holds weekly campus devotionals and forums.
Opened in 1971, the Marriott Center was named for hotel tycoon J. Willard Marriott and surpassed Minnesota's Williams Arena as the largest college basketball arena in the United States. It hosted NCAA men's tournament West Regionals in 1972, 1977, 1979 and 1982. Renovations in 2012, after the 2015 season and in 2022 replaced bench seating and lowered capacity from 22,700 to 17,978.
The arena's name honours J. Willard Marriott, the hotel tycoon and Marriott Corporation founder who was its benefactor. Its devotional use is a campus tradition: a Gordon B. Hinckley devotional on 17 October 1995 drew 25,875 people, the largest crowd ever recorded at the arena. On 7 February 1993 Cody Judy threatened Howard W. Hunter with a supposed bomb before 15,000–17,000 onlookers.
Plan to arrive early since parking can fill up quickly during popular events. Bike racks and walking paths from the campus offer alternatives to driving, and staff members are available to help you find your seat and navigate the building.
On February 19, 1999, 14,156 spectators watched BYU beat Long Beach State here, an NCAA record for a men's volleyball match that broke Hawaii's previous mark of 10,225. The arena also hosted the 1993 incident in which Cody Judy threatened LDS apostle Howard W. Hunter with a supposed bomb before 15,000–17,000 people.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,897 contributors worldwide.