Siegel Center 5.15

Stuart C. Siegel Center is a 190000sqft multi-purpose facility on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, United States. The facility's main component is the 7,637-(expandable to 8,000) seat E.J. Wade Arena. It also served as a student recreational area until 2010, when the new Cary Street Gym complex was completed. It now is used purely for VCU athletics and includes a weight room, auxiliary basketball court, and a cafè. The E.J. Wade Arena hosts Division I level NCAA inter-collegiate athletics and serves as a general-purpose assembly space for special events such as graduations, concerts, receptions, and a variety of competitions (both athletic and non athletic). It is named after Richmond businessman Stuart C. Siegel. At times, it is affectionately referred to as the HavocDome by its fans, which comes from the name of VCU's full-court press style of play began under head coach Shaka Smart known as "Havoc".The "Stu" opened in 1999 and cost $30.1 million to construct. $7 million of the cost was donated by local businessman Stuart C. Siegel, the center bears his name as a result. Its main tenant is the VCU Rams men's basketball team, which enjoys one of the nation's best home court winning percentages since moving into the facility. The court has received the reputation as arguably the toughest place to play in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The VCU Rams men's basketball team currently holds the 11th-highest home court winning percentage in Division I basketball with a winning percentage of 85.79 The student section, dubbed the "Rowdy Rams", is extremely passionate and near deafening during contests. In 2012-2013, the Rowdy Rams received the Naismith Student Section of the Year Award, recognizing the best student section in college basketball. Since January 2011, every home game at the Siegel Center has been sold out and the streak currently stands at 99. The arena also routinely hosts local and state high school basketball tournaments, in addition to hosting the annual Virginia Regional (formerly VCU/NASA) FIRST Robotics Competition.