Holt Arena
Encyclopedia
Holt Arena is an indoor multi-purpose athletic stadium
, located on the campus of Idaho State University
, in Pocatello
, Idaho
. It is the home field of the Idaho State Bengals
of the Big Sky Conference
. Holt Arena sits at an elevation
of 4560 feet (1,389.9 m) above sea level.
Completed in September 1970
at the north end of the ISU campus, Holt Arena is the oldest enclosed stadium on a college campus in the United States
and the second-oldest overall. Only the Houston
Astrodome, completed in 1965
, predates it.
The indoor arena was conceived by ISU athletic director
Milton W. "Dubby" Holt in 1966
. ISU students voted to appropriate not more than $2.8 million to the project two years later. Originally named the ASISU MiniDome, it replaced the outdoor "Spud Bowl" (now Davis Field) as the Bengals' home football stadium. The MiniDome was renamed in 1988
to honor Holt.
Holt Arena also serves as home for the ISU indoor track and field
team and men's basketball
team. It also hosts high school football games and other sporting events, rodeos, concerts, and other activities. In 1977
it was the site of the NCAA basketball tournament
(sub-regionals) and the Big Sky Conference
men's basketball tournament.
After the long anticipated opening of the MiniDome in 1970, Idaho State true freshman Mike Barnes scored the first regulation points in a basketball game.
Following the success of the MiniDome, several other colleges built enclosed stadiums, including the Kibbie Dome
at the University of Idaho
in Moscow
, which was enclosed in 1975
after four years as an outdoor stadium.
Holt Arena is one of two enclosed stadiums currently in use in the Big Sky Conference; the Walkup Skydome
at Northern Arizona
in Flagstaff
, opened in 1977, is the other.
After 41 football seasons on AstroTurf
, infilled synthetic turf was installed in Holt Arena in July 2011. Similar to FieldTurf
, the SoftTop Removable Matrix System is also installed in Cowboys Stadium in the NFL
.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
, located on the campus of Idaho State University
Idaho State University
Idaho State University is a public university located in Pocatello, Idaho. It has outreach programs in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Falls, Boise, and Twin Falls....
, in Pocatello
Pocatello, Idaho
Pocatello is the county seat and largest city of Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the principal city of the Pocatello metropolitan area, which encompasses all of Bannock...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. It is the home field of the Idaho State Bengals
Idaho State Bengals football
The Idaho State Bengals football program represents Idaho State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . As of the end of the 2010 season they have an all-time record of 449–463–20...
of the Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
. Holt Arena sits at an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 4560 feet (1,389.9 m) above sea level.
Completed in September 1970
1970 in sports
1970 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion – Karl Schranz, Austria** Women's overall season champion – Michèle Jacot, France-American football:...
at the north end of the ISU campus, Holt Arena is the oldest enclosed stadium on a college campus in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the second-oldest overall. Only the Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
Astrodome, completed in 1965
1965 in sports
1965 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* AFL Championship Buffalo Bills won 23-0 over the San Diego Chargers* NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 23-12 over the Cleveland Browns on January 2, 1966-England:...
, predates it.
The indoor arena was conceived by ISU athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
Milton W. "Dubby" Holt in 1966
1966 in sports
1966 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* FIS Alpine World Ski Championships –** Men's combined champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France** Women's combined champion: Marielle Goitschel, France-American football:...
. ISU students voted to appropriate not more than $2.8 million to the project two years later. Originally named the ASISU MiniDome, it replaced the outdoor "Spud Bowl" (now Davis Field) as the Bengals' home football stadium. The MiniDome was renamed in 1988
1988 in sports
1988 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:...
to honor Holt.
Holt Arena also serves as home for the ISU indoor track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
team and men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team. It also hosts high school football games and other sporting events, rodeos, concerts, and other activities. In 1977
1977 in sports
1977 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Lise-Marie Morerod, Switzerland-American football:...
it was the site of the NCAA basketball tournament
1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 32 American schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the National Champion of Men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1977, and ended with the championship game on March 28 in Atlanta, Georgia. A...
(sub-regionals) and the Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
men's basketball tournament.
After the long anticipated opening of the MiniDome in 1970, Idaho State true freshman Mike Barnes scored the first regulation points in a basketball game.
Following the success of the MiniDome, several other colleges built enclosed stadiums, including the Kibbie Dome
Kibbie Dome
The William H. Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center is a multi-purpose indoor athletic stadium in Moscow, Idaho, on the campus of the University of Idaho...
at the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
in Moscow
Moscow, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
, which was enclosed in 1975
1975 in sports
1975 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Gustav Thöni, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Pröll, Austria-American football:...
after four years as an outdoor stadium.
Holt Arena is one of two enclosed stadiums currently in use in the Big Sky Conference; the Walkup Skydome
Walkup Skydome
The J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome is an indoor multi-purpose stadium in Flagstaff, Arizona, on the campus of Northern Arizona University. Opened in September 1977, it is the home of the NAU Lumberjacks football and basketball teams of the Big Sky Conference. The seating capacity is 16,230, with...
at Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of...
in Flagstaff
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
, opened in 1977, is the other.
After 41 football seasons on AstroTurf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
, infilled synthetic turf was installed in Holt Arena in July 2011. Similar to FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
, the SoftTop Removable Matrix System is also installed in Cowboys Stadium in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
External links
- ISU Bengals.com - official athletics site - ISU Facilities
- ISU.edu - official university site - Holt Arena
- Idaho Public TV.org - Holt Arena
- World Stadiums.com - Holt Arena
- Simplot Games - annual indoor track meet at Holt Arena
- Maps.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=12&Z=12&X=479&Y=5933&W=2&qs=%7cPocatello%7cID%7c MSRMaps - USGS topo map (& aerial photo) of ISU campus