William Neal Reynolds Coliseum
Title
William Neal Reynolds Coliseum
Description
William Neal Reynolds, Jr. Coliseum is located next to Talley Student Union on Central Campus. According to the dedication program for Reynolds Coliseum, the idea for the building came from David Clark, an alumnus of NC State, during the 1940 Farmer’s Week Meetings. They were scheduled to be held at the outdoor Riddick Stadium, but were rained out for two days. Clark was struck by the idea that NC State needed a coliseum to hold indoor events. According to a Technician article from 1974, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Coliseum’s opening, construction originally began in 1942, but was halted in 1943, due to World War II. Construction began again in 1948. The first event held at the Coliseum was a 1949 basketball game between NC State and Washington and Lee University. Reynolds Coliseum was also outfitted with special pipes which allowed them to turn it into an ice rink. It was at the April 22, 1950 intermission of “Ice Cycles of 1950” that the building was officially dedicated.
The Coliseum was named after William Neal Reynolds, Jr., former chairman of the Board of directors of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Reynolds was an alumni of Duke, but many sources list him as being a generous benefactor of NC State through the years. An April 1950 News & Observer article quotes Chancellor Harrelson as saying the Coliseum was named for Reynolds as “an act in appreciation of the industrial and humanitarian leadership of Mr. Reynolds.” It was Reynold’s niece, Mary Katherine Reynolds Babcock, who suggested naming the building after her uncle, and who made the original financial contributions for erecting the coliseum, as well as additional funds later in order to construct the ice rink.
Reynolds Coliseum held many events through the years including basketball games, ice shows, and musical concerts. Famous musical acts such as the Rolling Stones and Elton John have played the venue. Reynolds hosted speakers like campaigning, sitting, and former presidents, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Others include famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright who gave a lecture on architecture in 1950. In 1966, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a speech in Reynolds Coliseum. The Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity article, “The History of MLK at NC State,” reports that on July 31, 1966, King delivered a speech to an integrated audience at Reynolds Coliseum. On his way to the Coliseum King had to pass two chapters of the North Carolina Klu Klux Klan who were marching through downtown Raleigh.
The men’s basketball team played in Reynolds Coliseum from 1940 to 2000, when they moved to PNC Arena. The Coliseum held many famous events such as hosting the Southern Conference, N.C.A.A tournaments and the Dixie Classic. Reynolds Coliseum is often referred to as “The Place that Case Built,” after former basketball coach Evert Case. Case had great success as a basketball coach at NC State, and according to his Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame biography, as well as Bethany Bradsher, author of “The Classic: How Evert Case and His Tournament Brought Big-Time Basketball to the South,” Case is credited with making basketball popular in North Carolina and across the Atlantic division during his tenure from 1946 to 1964.
The coliseum currently serves as the permanent home for women’s basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, wrestling and rifle and went through a massive renovation in 2016. This was high on the list of athletic director Debbie Yow, sister of Kay Yow, celebrated former NC State women’s basketball coach from 1975 to 2009, winning over 700 games. According to the NC State News article, “Reynolds Reopens in Grand Style,” Debbie Yow wanted to preserve the history of Reynolds Coliseum, while updating it to better serve the women’s teams and be a space which could be used for major events. In 2012, the court was named after Kay Yow, while in 2018, the arena was named after James T. Valvano, former NC State men’s basketball coach who led the 1983 team to win the national title.
Reynolds Coliseum has also been the permanent home of the campus Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) since its opening in 1949. According to Alice Regan’s North Carolina State University: A Narrative History, NC State’s ROTC program was established in 1916, shortly after the National Defense Act of June 3, 1916 was passed, establishing the program. This program replaced the former military-training requirement for land-grant colleges, which was created by the Morrill Act. This act established land-grant colleges across the country, also required the schools to include military training. Richard M. Abrams explains in the article “The U. S. Military and Higher Education: A Brief History,” that while the Morill act made military training a requirement, it was not regulated by the federal government, rather it was left to the state governments. This led to differing levels of commitment across the land-grant colleges. ROTC was more organized and it also provided financial support to upperclassmen who signed military service contracts. NC State made ROTC mandatory for the first two years of all students . This remained in place until 1964. Women students however, never faced compulsory ROTC duty, however, as women were not allowed to participate in ROTC until 1970.
One important part of the renovation included adding air conditioning to the building. This was a large improvement for the space. A 2008 Raleigh News & Observer article recalled how two years previously, nine people attending high school graduation ceremonies had to be treated for heat related concerns. Other aspects of the renovation included creating a Walk of Fame & History through the bottom floor. Here, visitors can learn about the achievements of NC State’s sports teams, former coaches, and the history of Reynolds Coliseum itself. Interested persons can also take a virtual tour of Reynolds Coliseum, which includes the option to view the space in virtual reality.
Primary Source References
North Carolina State University, Committees, University Coliseum Committee Records, UA 022.014, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
North Carolina State University, Office of Public Affairs, News Services Records, UA 014.011, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
North Carolina State University, Division of Student Affairs, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Records, UA 016.001, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
North Carolina State University, Office of Public Affairs Records, UA 014.001, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
North Carolina State University, University Archives Reference Collection, University Buildings, Sites, Landmarks Files, UA 050.004, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
Technician (Raleigh, N.C.) (LH1.N6 T4), Special Collections Research Center at NC State University Libraries
Secondary Source References
Abrams, Richard M. "The U. S. Military and Higher Education: A Brief History." The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 502 (1989): 15-28. Accessed May 19, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1046973.
Basketball Hall of Fame. “Everett N. Case.” Accessed May 14, 2021.
https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/everett-case/.
Bradsher, Bethany. The Classic: How Everett Case and His Tournament Brought Big-Time Basketball to the South. Houston: Whitecaps Media, 2011.
Bradsher, Bethany. “The Greatest Three Days.” North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. May, 09, 2013. https://www.ncshof.org/news_article/show/767513--the-greatest-three-days- .
Dorin-Black, Cathy. “Fabulous 50: First Pan-Afrikan Festival.” NC State University Libraries. March 29, 2021. https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/news/special-collections/fabulous-50-first-pan-afrikan-festival.
GoPack. “Who is William Neal Reynolds?” Men’s Basketball. Dec. 2, 2010. https://gopack.com/news/2010/12/2/Who_is_William_Neal_Reynolds_ .
Howes, Pauline. “Reynolds, William Neal.” NCPedia. 1994. https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/reynolds-william-neal.
Miller, JasonW. “When MLK and the KKK met in Raleigh.” Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity: African American Cultural Center. https://diversity.ncsu.edu/aacc/when-mlk-and-the-kkk-met-in-raleigh/.
NC State University. “Arena at Reynolds Coliseum to Be Named for Legendary NC State Men’s Basketball Coach Jim Valvano.” November 14, 2018. https://news.campaign.ncsu.edu/2018/11/valvano-arena/.
Peeler, Tim. “A Look Inside Reynolds Renovations.” NC State University News. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://news.ncsu.edu/2015/06/a-look-inside-reynolds-renovations/ .
Visit NC State. “Reynolds Coliseum.” NC State Virtual Tour. Accessed May 12, 2021.
https://visit.ncsu.edu/main-campus/reynolds-coliseum/.
The Coliseum was named after William Neal Reynolds, Jr., former chairman of the Board of directors of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Reynolds was an alumni of Duke, but many sources list him as being a generous benefactor of NC State through the years. An April 1950 News & Observer article quotes Chancellor Harrelson as saying the Coliseum was named for Reynolds as “an act in appreciation of the industrial and humanitarian leadership of Mr. Reynolds.” It was Reynold’s niece, Mary Katherine Reynolds Babcock, who suggested naming the building after her uncle, and who made the original financial contributions for erecting the coliseum, as well as additional funds later in order to construct the ice rink.
Reynolds Coliseum held many events through the years including basketball games, ice shows, and musical concerts. Famous musical acts such as the Rolling Stones and Elton John have played the venue. Reynolds hosted speakers like campaigning, sitting, and former presidents, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Others include famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright who gave a lecture on architecture in 1950. In 1966, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a speech in Reynolds Coliseum. The Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity article, “The History of MLK at NC State,” reports that on July 31, 1966, King delivered a speech to an integrated audience at Reynolds Coliseum. On his way to the Coliseum King had to pass two chapters of the North Carolina Klu Klux Klan who were marching through downtown Raleigh.
The men’s basketball team played in Reynolds Coliseum from 1940 to 2000, when they moved to PNC Arena. The Coliseum held many famous events such as hosting the Southern Conference, N.C.A.A tournaments and the Dixie Classic. Reynolds Coliseum is often referred to as “The Place that Case Built,” after former basketball coach Evert Case. Case had great success as a basketball coach at NC State, and according to his Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame biography, as well as Bethany Bradsher, author of “The Classic: How Evert Case and His Tournament Brought Big-Time Basketball to the South,” Case is credited with making basketball popular in North Carolina and across the Atlantic division during his tenure from 1946 to 1964.
The coliseum currently serves as the permanent home for women’s basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, wrestling and rifle and went through a massive renovation in 2016. This was high on the list of athletic director Debbie Yow, sister of Kay Yow, celebrated former NC State women’s basketball coach from 1975 to 2009, winning over 700 games. According to the NC State News article, “Reynolds Reopens in Grand Style,” Debbie Yow wanted to preserve the history of Reynolds Coliseum, while updating it to better serve the women’s teams and be a space which could be used for major events. In 2012, the court was named after Kay Yow, while in 2018, the arena was named after James T. Valvano, former NC State men’s basketball coach who led the 1983 team to win the national title.
Reynolds Coliseum has also been the permanent home of the campus Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) since its opening in 1949. According to Alice Regan’s North Carolina State University: A Narrative History, NC State’s ROTC program was established in 1916, shortly after the National Defense Act of June 3, 1916 was passed, establishing the program. This program replaced the former military-training requirement for land-grant colleges, which was created by the Morrill Act. This act established land-grant colleges across the country, also required the schools to include military training. Richard M. Abrams explains in the article “The U. S. Military and Higher Education: A Brief History,” that while the Morill act made military training a requirement, it was not regulated by the federal government, rather it was left to the state governments. This led to differing levels of commitment across the land-grant colleges. ROTC was more organized and it also provided financial support to upperclassmen who signed military service contracts. NC State made ROTC mandatory for the first two years of all students . This remained in place until 1964. Women students however, never faced compulsory ROTC duty, however, as women were not allowed to participate in ROTC until 1970.
One important part of the renovation included adding air conditioning to the building. This was a large improvement for the space. A 2008 Raleigh News & Observer article recalled how two years previously, nine people attending high school graduation ceremonies had to be treated for heat related concerns. Other aspects of the renovation included creating a Walk of Fame & History through the bottom floor. Here, visitors can learn about the achievements of NC State’s sports teams, former coaches, and the history of Reynolds Coliseum itself. Interested persons can also take a virtual tour of Reynolds Coliseum, which includes the option to view the space in virtual reality.
Primary Source References
North Carolina State University, Committees, University Coliseum Committee Records, UA 022.014, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
North Carolina State University, Office of Public Affairs, News Services Records, UA 014.011, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
North Carolina State University, Division of Student Affairs, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Records, UA 016.001, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
North Carolina State University, Office of Public Affairs Records, UA 014.001, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
North Carolina State University, University Archives Reference Collection, University Buildings, Sites, Landmarks Files, UA 050.004, NC State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
Technician (Raleigh, N.C.) (LH1.N6 T4), Special Collections Research Center at NC State University Libraries
Secondary Source References
Abrams, Richard M. "The U. S. Military and Higher Education: A Brief History." The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 502 (1989): 15-28. Accessed May 19, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1046973.
Basketball Hall of Fame. “Everett N. Case.” Accessed May 14, 2021.
https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/everett-case/.
Bradsher, Bethany. The Classic: How Everett Case and His Tournament Brought Big-Time Basketball to the South. Houston: Whitecaps Media, 2011.
Bradsher, Bethany. “The Greatest Three Days.” North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. May, 09, 2013. https://www.ncshof.org/news_article/show/767513--the-greatest-three-days- .
Dorin-Black, Cathy. “Fabulous 50: First Pan-Afrikan Festival.” NC State University Libraries. March 29, 2021. https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/news/special-collections/fabulous-50-first-pan-afrikan-festival.
GoPack. “Who is William Neal Reynolds?” Men’s Basketball. Dec. 2, 2010. https://gopack.com/news/2010/12/2/Who_is_William_Neal_Reynolds_ .
Howes, Pauline. “Reynolds, William Neal.” NCPedia. 1994. https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/reynolds-william-neal.
Miller, JasonW. “When MLK and the KKK met in Raleigh.” Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity: African American Cultural Center. https://diversity.ncsu.edu/aacc/when-mlk-and-the-kkk-met-in-raleigh/.
NC State University. “Arena at Reynolds Coliseum to Be Named for Legendary NC State Men’s Basketball Coach Jim Valvano.” November 14, 2018. https://news.campaign.ncsu.edu/2018/11/valvano-arena/.
Peeler, Tim. “A Look Inside Reynolds Renovations.” NC State University News. Accessed May 12, 2021. https://news.ncsu.edu/2015/06/a-look-inside-reynolds-renovations/ .
Visit NC State. “Reynolds Coliseum.” NC State Virtual Tour. Accessed May 12, 2021.
https://visit.ncsu.edu/main-campus/reynolds-coliseum/.
Creator
Emma Stout
Date
2021/05/23
Citation
Emma Stout, “William Neal Reynolds Coliseum,” Brick Layers: An Atlas of New Perspectives on NC State’s Campus History, accessed December 26, 2024, https://bricklayers.history.ncsu.edu/items/show/44.