Nutter Center

{{Short description|Multi-purpose arena at Wright State University in Fairborn, Ohio, United States}}

{{About|the arena at Wright State University|the football facility at the University of Kentucky|E.J. Nutter Training Facility}}

{{Infobox venue

|stadium_name = Nutter Center

|fullname = Wright State University Nutter Center

|image = ShimadaK2008-Wright State Univ Nutter Center-IMGP8422.jpg

|image_size = 250px

|caption =

|image_map =

|address = 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy

|location = Fairborn, Ohio, U.S.

|coordinates = {{Coord|39|46|55|N|84|3|9|W|type:landmark|display=inline, title}}

|broke_ground = 1988

|built =

|opened = December 1, 1990

|closed =

|demolished =

|owner = Wright State University

|operator =

|surface = Hardwood/Ice

|construction_cost =US$34.5 million
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|34500000|1988}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})

|architect = HOK Sport

|structural engineer = KZF Design

|former_names = Ervin J. Nutter Center {{small|(1990–2011)}}

|tenants=Wright State Raiders (NCAA)

Men's basketball 1990–present
Women's basketball 1990–present
Dayton Wings (WBL) 1991–1992
Dayton Bombers (ECHL) 1996–2009
Dayton Warbirds (NIFL) 2005
Dayton Bulldogs (NIFL) 2006

|seating_capacity = 10,400 {{Collapsible list|expand=|framestyle=|titlestyle=|title=Configurations|liststyle=|hlist=|bullets=|Concerts: 11,200|Half house: up to 7,500|Basketball: 9,500}}

|dimensions = Ice surface: 200 x 85 ft (61 x 26 m)

|website = {{url|nuttercenter.com}}

}}

The Nutter Center is a multi-purpose arena located at Wright State University, in Fairborn, Ohio.{{cite news |author1=Brenda Burns |title=Big Time |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117887269/the-urbana-daily-citizen/ |access-date=3 February 2023 |work=The Urbana Daily Citizen |date=1 December 1990 |page=9 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}{{cite news |author1=Harley E. Flack |title=Reports of Nutter Center's demise are greatly exaggerated |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117887216/dayton-daily-news/ |access-date=3 February 2023 |work=Dayton Daily News |date=28 November 1994 |page=11A |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}} It mainly serves as the home court of the Wright State Raiders men's and women's basketball teams. It is also regularly used as a music venue for touring concerts{{cite news |author1=Dave Larsen |title=Nutter Center brings the stars and the spotlight to the region |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117887123/dayton-daily-news/ |access-date=3 February 2023 |work=Dayton Daily News |date=26 December 2010 |page=13 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}{{cite news |author1=Max Filby |title=Nutter concerts a hit; sports struggle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117886984/springfield-news-sun/ |access-date=3 February 2023 |work=Springfield News-Sun |date=16 December 2016 |page=B6 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}} and shows and for area high school graduation ceremonies.

History

A local businessman and inventor, Ervin J. Nutter, donated $1.5 million to Wright State University in 1986. Funds from both the state of Ohio and the university contributed an additional $8 million to construction efforts which began in 1988. Work was completed twenty months later and on December 1, 1990, the Nutter Center held its first official event.{{cite web|url=http://www.nuttercenter.com/history.aspx |title=Wright State University's Ervin J. Nutter Center Historical Overview |publisher=Nutter Center |access-date=November 22, 2011}}{{cite news |title=Nutter Center 15 years of history |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117887084/dayton-daily-news/ |access-date=3 February 2023 |work=Dayton Daily News |date=26 June 2006 |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}

Events

=Sports=

The first ever WWE King of the Ring event in 1993
2002 Kelly Cup Finals (games 3 and 4)
1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001 & 2007 Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League) men's basketball tournament.
2014 Horizon League championship game
The Harlem Globetrotters have performed at the Nutter Center every New Year's Eve since at least 2005.{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8344933/harlem_globetrotters_nutter_center/ |title=Harlem Globetrotters @ Nutter Center |date= December 31, 2005|website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Cincinnati Enquirer |access-date=January 14, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8344945/harlem_globetrotters_nutter_center/ |title=Harlem Globetrotters @ Nutter Center |date= December 31, 2006|website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Cincinnati Enquirer |access-date=January 14, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8344952/harlem_globetrotters_nutter_center/ |title=Harlem Globetrotters @ Nutter Center |date= December 31, 2007|website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Cincinnati Enquirer |access-date=January 14, 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8344966/harlem_globetrotters_nutter_center/ |title=Harlem Globetrotters @ Nutter Center |date= December 31, 2008|website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Cincinnati Enquirer |access-date=January 14, 2017}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.nuttercenter.com/details.aspx?EventID=86225&WebLink=17.194C97D7 |title=Harlem Globetrotters "4 Times the Fun" World Tour |date=December 31, 2010 |publisher=Nutter Center |access-date=January 10, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nuttercenter.com/details.aspx?EventID=86379&WebLink=17.194C97D7 |title=Harlem Globetrotters |date=December 31, 2011 |publisher=Nutter Center |access-date=January 10, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nuttercenter.com/details.aspx?EventID=86415&WebLink=17.194C97D7 |title=Harlem Globetrotters "You Write the Rules" World Tour |date=December 31, 2012 |publisher=Nutter Center |access-date=January 10, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nuttercenter.com/details.aspx?EventID=86464&WebLink=17.194C97D7 |title=Harlem Globetrotters "Fans Rule" World Tour |date=December 31, 2013 |publisher=Nutter Center |access-date=January 10, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nuttercenter.com/details.aspx?EventID=1027217&WebLink=1D.3BC1E689 |title=Harlem Globetrotters |date=December 31, 2014 |publisher=Nutter Center |access-date=January 10, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nuttercenter.com/details.aspx?EventID=1131940&WebLink=1D.3BC1E689 |title=Harlem Globetrotters World Tour |date=December 31, 2015 |publisher=Nutter Center |access-date=January 10, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nuttercenter.com/details.aspx?EventID=1131941&WebLink=1D.3BC1E689 |title=The Original Harlem Globetrotters |date=December 31, 2016 |publisher=Nutter Center |access-date=January 10, 2017}}

=Other=

Gloria Estefan played the Nutter Center on her comeback “Into The Light World Tour” on August 19, 1991.

Dire Straits played on their final tour, the ‘On Every Street’ tour. They played the Nutter Center on February 21, 1992.

The band Phish played a concert at the venue on December 7, 1997, which was released in its entirety on their 2008 live album Live Phish 12.07.97.{{cite web |title=Live Phish: 12.07.97 Ervin J. Nutter Center, Dayton, OH - Phish {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-phish-120797-ervin-j-nutter-center-dayton-oh-mw0000792458 |website=AllMusic |access-date=28 February 2019 |language=en-us}} Phish also played at the venue in 1995, 2017, & 2023.{{Cite web |title=Archived Tours |url=https://phish.com/tour-archives/ |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=Phish |language=en-US}}
Barack Obama's "Keeping America’s Promise" rally, on Monday, February 25, 2008.
“Road to the Convention Rally” on August 29, 2008, at which time Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, was announced as presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain's vice-presidential candidate, or running mate.
On May 17–18, 2013, the Nutter Center hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2013 Science Olympiad National Tournament.
July 22, 2015, the band Eagles performed one of their last stops on their History of the Eagles Tour.
The Nutter Center was originally scheduled to host the first 2016 presidential debate but the venue was changed due to security and financial concerns.{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/19/politics/university-pulls-out-of-presidential-debate/index.html |title=University pulls out of presidential debate |publisher=CNN|date=July 19, 2016 |access-date=January 10, 2017}}
The Nutter Center is frequently used as a competition venue for the Winter Guard International indoor percussion, color guard, and winds championship.
On May 19–20, 2017, the Nutter Center hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2017 Science Olympiad National Tournament.
On November 16, 2022, touring giant Dave Matthews Band played the arena.{{Cite web|url=https://dmbalmanac.com//TourShowSet.aspx?id=453090946&tid=8172&where=2022|title=DMBAlmanac.com²|website=dmbalmanac.com}}