UK hosting Grand Re-Opening for Historic Memorial Coliseum this weekend

Historic Memorial Coliseum has technically been open since last August, but work continued on the $82 million renovation throughout the 2024-25 sports season. Crews must be putting on the final touches because on Saturday, the University of Kentucky will hold a grand re-opening party, complete with a community fair and ribbon cutting.

Everyone in the Lexington community is invited to the event, which will start with a party outside from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET featuring food trucks, local vendors, activities, and a display of military vehicles to honor the facility’s namesake. The formal grand re-opening ceremony takes place inside Historic Memorial Coliseum from 1-2 p.m., featuring distinguished speakers from the University of Kentucky, special military guests, a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony, and performances from the 202nd Army Band of the Kentucky National Guard. Doors will open at noon, and tickets are free, but must be claimed while supplies last.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Memorial Coliseum’s opening in 1950. The building was named as such to honor the more than 9,000 servicemen and women who died in World War II and also those who have fallen in the Korean War, Vietnam War, and subsequent military service. As part of the renovations, UK added a new outdoor memorial on Euclid Avenue and an interactive display inside the main entrance.

In August 2024, Historic Memorial Coliseum held the first of several soft openings for Kentucky Volleyball’s home opener. Since then, the volleyball team, women’s basketball team, gymnastics, and STUNT squads have held their seasons in the venue, with the women’s basketball team even hosting first and second round NCAA Tournament games. The men’s and women’s basketball teams also held their annual Blue-White intrasquad scrimmage in the building in October. This summer, Historic Memorial Coliseum will host the Lexington Regional of The Basketball Tournament, with La Familia, Kentucky’s alumni team, running it back after winning the regional last year at Rupp Arena.

If you haven’t been inside Historic Memorial Coliseum yet, the renovations are pretty remarkable. In addition to much-needed air conditioning, the building now features a giant new center-hung scoreboard, a new ceiling, new flooring, new seating, a new court, a courtside club area, new restrooms, new concession stands, new lighting, new locker rooms for all four teams that call it home, and and an improved CATS tutoring center and media facilities. If you don’t already have plans for Saturday, claim a ticket to swing by and take a look.

For more details on the grand re-opening, including parking information and a list of local vendors, visit UKAthletics.com.

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