NCAA Basketball


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Providence Civic Center

1 La Salle Square

Providence, RI 02903

Opened: November 3, 1972

Closed: June 30, 2001

The Providence Civic Center (later called the Dunkin' Donuts Center and now called Amica Mutual Pavilion) is an indoor arena located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1972, as a home court for the emerging Providence College men's basketball program, due to the high demand for tickets to their games in Alumni Hall, as well as for a home arena for the then Providence Reds, who played in the nearly 50 year-old Rhode Island Auditorium. The center is operated by the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority, which also operates the Rhode Island Convention Center and Veterans Memorial Auditorium

The idea for a Civic Center in Providence had been proposed as early as 1958, on the site of what later became the Providence Place Mall. The project was proposed as a joint federal-state-city project, which would create jobs and bring economic benefits. However, the plan failed due to the inability to secure federal funds.

The plan was revived again as a statewide bond issue in the 1968 general election; voters outside of Providence soundly defeated the referendum. Finally, mayor Joseph A. Doorley Jr. pushed through a citywide special referendum in 1969, which passed. When this amount proved to be inadequate, Doorley pushed through another referendum in 1971, which also passed. The project became so closely associated with Mayor Doorley that it was referred to in the press as "Doorley's Dream".

The Providence Civic Center was constructed in 1972 on the site of an old jewelry factory. The opening ceremony was held November 3, 1972, with a Providence Reds hockey game. President Richard Nixon, campaigning in the area, was invited to the attend the opening, but he declined. In its first year, the center hosted concerts by Pink Floyd and Frank Sinatra, as well as hockey games and political rallies, and was considered a success.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the Civic Center fell into decline; it required city bailouts and was seen as a financial problem. The Rhode Island Convention Center and adjacent Omni Providence Hotel (then named the "Westin") were completed next door to the Civic Center in 1993 in an attempt to lure visitors to the city.

Last 10 Games
Date	Opponents	Result

Feb 24, 2001	BC @ Providence	59 - 58
Feb 20, 2001	Virginia Tech @ Providence	56 - 96
Feb 10, 2001	Georgetown @ Providence	79 - 103
Feb 3, 2001	St. Johns @ Providence	63 - 75
Jan 31, 2001	Villanova @ Providence	64 - 84
Jan 23, 2001	Pittsburgh @ Providence	61 - 77
Jan 16, 2001	Miami @ Providence	78 - 64
Jan 13, 2001	Uconn @ Providence	68 - 81
Dec 30, 2000	South Carolina @ Providence	55 - 60
Dec 28, 2000	BU @ Providence	48 - 73