View source for Prather Coliseum

{{Short description|Arena in Louisiana, United States}}
{{Infobox stadium
| stadium_name        =  Prather Coliseum
| logo_image          =
| image               = File:Prather Coliseum (Natchitoches, LA).jpg
| image_map           = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=15|type=point}}
| location            = 220 S. Jefferson St., [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches, LA]] 71457
| coordinates         = {{Coord|31|44|38.5|N|93|05|42.6|W|type:landmark_region:US-LA|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground        = 
| built               = 
| opened              = 1964
| expanded            = 
| renovated           = 
| closed              =
| demolished          =
| owner               = [[Northwestern State University]]
| operator            = Northwestern State University
| surface             = Multi-surface
| construction_cost   = 
| architect           = 
| structural engineer = 
| tenants             = [[Northwestern State Demons basketball]]<br>[[Northwestern State Lady Demons basketball]]<br>Northwestern State Lady Demons volleyball
| seating_capacity    = 3,900
| website             = 
}}
'''Prather Coliseum''' is a 3,900-seat multi-purpose [[arena]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana]], United States. It opened in 1964 and is home to the [[Northwestern State University]] Demons [[basketball]] [[team]].<ref name="facil">[http://www.nsudemons.com/share/PollRecord.dbml Prather Coliseum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927170354/http://www.nsudemons.com/share/PollRecord.dbml |date=2011-09-27 }} at nsudemons.com, URL accessed November 17, 2009. [http://www.nsudemons.com/share/PollRecord.dbml Archived]{{dead link|date=August 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} 11/17/09</ref> The arena also holds concerts and events. It was named in honor of the school's most successful basketball and football coach, [[H. Lee Prather]], who served from the 1910s through the 1940s before becoming NSU President in 1951.

==History==
The coliseum is among projects credited to the late [[Louisiana State Legislature|State Senator]] [[Sylvan Friedman]] of [[Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana|Natchitoches Parish]]. It opened two years before Friedman's retirement.<ref name="friedman">[http://facilityuse.nsula.edu/friedman-student-union-2 Friedman Student Union] at facilityuse.nsula.edu, URL accessed November 17, 2009. [https://web.archive.org/web/20091027214848/http://facilityuse.nsula.edu/friedman-student-union-2 Archived] 11/17/09</ref>

Prather Coliseum is also known as the venue for the final concert performed by rock star [[Jim Croce]] on Thursday, September 20, 1973. Shortly after the concert, Croce's plane crashed shortly after takeoff from [[Natchitoches Regional Airport]], killing him and all others aboard the plane.<ref name="croce">[http://www.vegasvalleycomputers.biz/music.htm Jim Croce] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209211541/http://www.vegasvalleycomputers.biz/music.htm |date=2009-12-09 }} at vegasvalleycomputers.biz, URL accessed November 17, 2009. [https://web.archive.org/web/20091209211541/http://www.vegasvalleycomputers.biz/music.htm Archived] 11/17/09</ref>

The arena hosted the [[Southland Conference]] men's basketball tournament in 2005–06.<ref name="tourney">[http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=95216&SPID=10825&temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=1426950 Northwestern State Wins Men's O'Reilly Auto Parts/SLC Tournament Title] at southland.org, URL accessed November 17, 2009. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110613104831/http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=95216&SPID=10825&temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=1426950 Archived] 11/17/2009</ref> [[Loyola University New Orleans]] women's basketball player Keiva Council set the single-game scoring record in the building with 48 points in an 84–80 Wolfpack victory over Northwestern State on November 25, 2011.

==See also==
*[[List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas]]
*[[List of music venues]]

==References==
<references/>

{{Northwestern State Demons basketball navbox}}
{{Northwestern State University}}
{{Southland Conference basketball venue navbox}}
{{Louisiana NCAA Division I college basketball venue navbox}}
{{Music venues of Louisiana}}

[[Category:College basketball venues in Louisiana]]
[[Category:College volleyball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Natchitoches, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Volleyball venues in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Northwestern State Demons basketball]]
[[Category:Northwestern State Lady Demons basketball]]
[[Category:Northwestern State Lady Demons volleyball]]
[[Category:Music venues in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Northwestern State University buildings and structures]]
[[Category:1964 establishments in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1964]]

{{Louisiana-stadium-stub}}