Moby Gym, 1967
From CSU's Sense of Place: A Campus History of Colorado's Land-Grant University, by James E. Hansen, Gordon A. Hazard, and Linda M. Meyer. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University, 2018.
On November 1, 1962, a model of the proposed CSU Auditorium/Gymnasium complex was unveiled, marking the beginning of a campaign to construct athletic facilities needed to gain entrance into the Western Athletic Conference.
The new, nearly 9,000-seat Auditorium/Gymnasium was dedicated on January 24, 1966, and that evening Coach Jim Williams’ basketball team won the first game played there. Fans enjoyed the facility’s much larger space, especially front-row spectators whose feet were actually on the court at the College Avenue Gym.
In a Rocky Mountain Collegian article published that day, sports editor Steve Kweskin’s headline read, “Moby Gym Sets Sail.” He again used the unique name (referring to the whale-like appearance of the building) in an editorial three days later, and the nickname stuck despite the Athletic Department’s reluctance to adopt it. Architect Lamar Kelsey, known for his commitment to modern design, stated that the Auditorium/Gymnasium essentially resulted from form following function.
And Moby has functioned remarkably well as a multi-purpose facility. In addition to the main arena, it included a B-wing to serve academic physical education programs and a C-wing that featured additional courts, weight rooms, and a swimming pool.
The arena accommodated commencements for CSU and the Poudre School District high schools. It also provided a venue for renowned speakers, such as former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Soviet Union General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, and primatologist Jane Goodall, and concerts by the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Van Halen, and other music luminaries.
Men’s basketball was not the only athletic activity held in the facility. The advent of women’s sports in the mid-1970s eventually made Moby the home court of the nationally ranked volleyball team beginning in 1980. The women’s basketball program also grew to national prominence by the late 1990s with the play of Becky Hammon and her teammates. When the B-wing and Auxiliary Gym/Pool were completed in the summer of 1966, the pool immediately became home for All-American male and female swimmers and divers such as swimmer Amy Van Dyken, who won six Olympic gold medals, including four in the 1996 Atlanta summer games.
Moby has benefited from frequent improvements, including electronic scoreboards, varsity lockers, and training rooms. An addition to the south side of the B-wing (Human Performance Clinical Research Laboratory) was completed for use by the Exercise and Sports Science Department in 1999, followed by another expansion in 2007.
In addition, since Moby’s opening in 1966, the department has administered the Noon Hour Fitness program for faculty, staff, and graduate students. Virtually all of the complex’s facilities – courts, pool, weight rooms, and showers, along with towels and gym clothes – are available to participating CSU personnel. For a nominal fee, they enjoy what can best be described as a wonderful fringe benefit.
Recent renovations include remodeling of the concourses featuring historic displays that highlight intercollegiate athletics at the school since their inception. The placement of these photos and artifacts at Moby truly reinforces its importance to CSU’s campus heritage.
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