John Paul Jones Arena
John Paul Jones Arena, or JPJ, is a multi-purpose arena owned by the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.[6] Since November 2006, it serves as the home to the Virginia Cavaliers men's and women's basketball teams, as well as for concerts and other events. With seating for 14,623 fans (nearly twice the capacity of its predecessor, University Hall) John Paul Jones Arena is the largest indoor arena in Virginia and the biggest Atlantic Coast Conference basketball arena located outside of large metropolitan areas.[a] Sports Illustrated named John Paul Jones Arena the best new college basketball arena of the 2000s.[7]
Location
295 Massie Road
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
May 30, 2003
August 1, 2006
$131 million
($217 million in 2023 dollars[4])
VMDO Architects
Barton Malow
Virginia men's basketball is 206–46 (.817) at John Paul Jones Arena as of March 2021. The Cavaliers have fared even better, 167–30 (.848), at JPJ during the Tony Bennett era.[8] Virginia fans in the arena are known for cheering loudly for defensive stands and for providing what Rick Pitino, who went winless in three attempts at JPJ, called "one of the best home court advantages [he's] ever seen" where Wahoo fans seem like they are "on top of you."[9][10][11] JPJ opened for basketball on November 12, 2006, as Virginia defeated No. 10 ranked Arizona, 93–90, and handed Lute Olson a season-opening loss in his final season.[12]
History[edit]
The design features Roman pergolas on the outside as well as the inside, a modern take on the university's Greek-inspired Jeffersonian architecture.
Paul Tudor Jones, who earned a B.A. in Economics from UVA in 1976, donated $35 million of his personal funds for the construction of the arena. Granted naming rights in exchange for the donation, he opted to name the arena in honor of his father, John Paul Jones, a 1948 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law.[13] The arena is sometimes incorrectly assumed to be named for either John Paul Jones, the founder of the United States Navy, or John Paul Jones, the bassist for the English rock band Led Zeppelin.[14]
The arena plays host to not only basketball games, but a wide variety of concerts, performances and other events; for example, its opening season in 2006 included events such as the Charlottesville-originated Dave Matthews Band, as well as Cirque du Soleil, Larry the Cable Guy, The Wiggles, Disney on Ice & WWE Monday Night Raw.
The arena also houses office space for SMG staff, the UVa athletics media relations department, video services and dining services. It also features coaches' offices, practice facilities and an extensive sports medicine facility for men's and women's basketball teams.
The arena's first event was Cirque du Soleil's Delirium on Tuesday, August 1, 2006, but the official Grand Opening event was a two-night tour-ending stand by Charlottesville natives Dave Matthews Band, September 22–23, 2006. An "open house" event for the local community was conducted on July 22, 2006.[15]
In February 2007, the arena was awarded the title of "Best New Major Concert Venue" at Pollstar's 18th Annual Concert Industry Awards.[16]