View source for Whittemore Center

{{Short description|Sports venue in Durham, New Hampshire, United States}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2007}}
{{Infobox venue|
| name             = Whittemore Center
| fullname         = Whittemore Center Arena
| nickname         = ''The Whitt''
| logo_image        = UNH_Wildcats.png
| logo_size         = 70
| image             = Whittemore center unh (cropped).jpg
| caption           = The arena as seen in 2013
| address = 128 Main Street
| location = [[Durham, New Hampshire]], U.S.
| coordinates      = {{Coord|43.13974|N|70.93443|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| opened           = {{start date and age|November 1995}}
| owner            = [[University of New Hampshire]]
|operator         = University of New Hampshire
|seating_capacity  = 6,501 (hockey and basketball)<br /> 5,550 (end-stage concerts)
|surface          = {{convert|200|x|90|ft|m}} (ice hockey)
|construction_cost   = $30 million<br />{{USDCY|30000000|1995}}<br />
|architect        = 
|former_names     = 
|tenants          = {{ubl
 |[[University of New Hampshire|UNH]] [[New Hampshire Wildcats men's ice hockey|Men's Hockey]]
 |[[University of New Hampshire|UNH]] [[New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey|Women's Hockey]]
 |[[Oyster River High School]] Hockey
 |[[NCAA women's ice hockey tournament|NCAA Women's Frozen Four]] (2002, 2005, 2016, 2024)
}}
| website  = {{url|https://campusrec.unh.edu/facilities/whittemore-center-arena|whittemore-center-arena}}
}}

'''Whittemore Center Arena''', known colloquially as '''The Whitt''', is a multi-purpose [[arena]] in [[Durham, New Hampshire]], United States, on the campus of the [[University of New Hampshire]]. Located at 128 Main Street in Durham,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-05 |title=Whittemore Center Arena |url=https://campusrec.unh.edu/facilities/whittemore-center-arena#:~:text=The%20Whittemore%20Center%20is%20a,New%20Hampshire%20and%20the%20University. |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=Campus Recreation |language=en}}</ref> the arena is home to the [[New Hampshire Wildcats]] men's and women's [[ice hockey]] teams. The arena was New Hampshire's largest until the [[Verizon Wireless Arena]] (now the [[SNHU Arena]]) opened in [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]] in 2001.<ref>{{cite web | title=UNH Athletics Facilities | url= http://www.unhwildcats.com/index.cfm?id=0E5F015B-BA5E-D4B9-B02F589761023A47| access-date=2008-01-11 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000027/http://www.unhwildcats.com/index.cfm?id=0E5F015B-BA5E-D4B9-B02F589761023A47 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-09-27}}</ref> The arena can seat 6,501 for ice hockey and [[basketball]] games, and 7,200 for concerts and similar events. 

==History==
The facility was built for $30 million and opened in November 1995.<ref>{{cite web | title=Whittemore Center Arena Promoter Guide | url=http://whittemorecenter.com/pdf/Whittemore_Center%20Arena_Promoter_Guide.pdf| access-date=2008-01-11}}</ref> It was dedicated to Frederick B. Whittemore (a son of [[Laurence F. Whittemore]]) and his family on May 5, 1996.<ref>{{cite web | title=Whittemore Center Backstage | url= http://www.whittemorecenter.com/backstage/| access-date=2008-01-11}}</ref> Through the end of the 2006–2007 academic year, the arena was managed by Global Spectrum, but UNH Campus Recreation took over management before the 2007 academic year.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

The arena is adjacent to its predecessor, [[Snively Arena]], which is still standing and is used as a recreation facility. It is also adjacent to the [[Durham–UNH station]], served by [[Amtrak]], and it is across the street from [[Wildcat Stadium (University of New Hampshire)|Wildcat Stadium]], home of the [[New Hampshire Wildcats football|Wildcats football]] team.

Both the [[New Hampshire Wildcats men's ice hockey|Wildcats men's ice hockey]] and [[New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey|Wildcats women's ice hockey]] team play their home games at the arena. The hockey rink originally had a full Olympic-sized sheet of ice, {{convert|200|x|100|ft|m}}, but the rink was reduced slightly to almost "NHL size", {{convert|200|by|90|ft|m}}, during a 2022 renovation. In 2002, 2005, 2016, and 2024, UNH and the Whittemore Center hosted the NCAA [[Women's Frozen Four]]. The lobby is decorated with heroic portraits of past men's and women's [[All-America]]n hockey players.

The [[New Hampshire Wildcats men's basketball|Wildcats men's basketball]] and [[New Hampshire Wildcats women's basketball|Wildcats women's basketball]] teams (which currently draw roughly 1,000 fans per game on average) normally play across the street at [[Lundholm Gym|Lundholm Gymnasium]], which is attached to Wildcat Stadium. A few home basketball games have been held at the Whittemore Center. The arena is also a venue for many concerts, trade shows, and events.

The consecration of Bishop [[Gene Robinson]] occurred in this arena on 2 November 2003. Robinson is known for being the first openly gay bishop within the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Openly gay man is made a bishop | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/03/us/openly-gay-man-is-made-a-bishop.html | last=Goodstein| first=Laurie| work=The New York Times| date=November 3, 2003| accessdate=April 3, 2022| url-status=live| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220122195534/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/03/us/openly-gay-man-is-made-a-bishop.html |archive-date = January 22, 2022}}</ref>

In September 2015 a new [[High-definition video|high definition]] center-hung scoreboard was unveiled. The main screens on each side of the board are {{convert|9|by|15|ft}}.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.unionleader.com/New,_larger_high-res_scoreboard_unveiled_at_UNHs_Whittemore_Center |title=New, larger high-res scoreboard unveiled at UNH's Whittemore Center {{!}} New Hampshire |work=UnionLeader.com |access-date=2017-08-23|language=en}}</ref>

During the summer of 2017, the arena replaced its former [[high-intensity discharge lamp|HID]] fixture lighting system with a new [[LED lamp|LED]] lighting system which led to much more even lighting in the arena and no more loud hum produced by the former system.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://iesc1.com/silence-is-golden-led-replacements-for-hid-fixtures-at-unh-tone-down-ambient-noise/ |title=Silence Is Golden – LED Replacements for HID Fixtures at UNH Tone Down Ambient Noise {{!}} Interstate Electrical Services |website=iesc1.com |language=en-US |access-date=2017-08-23}}</ref>

[[File:Whittemore center at night (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|Whittemore Center at night, including Key Auto Group signage]]
In June and September 2020, the [[New Hampshire House of Representatives]] met in the arena due to [[social distancing]] requirements as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].  In December 2020, both the House and [[New Hampshire Senate|Senate]]
met outside the arena. The House convened on the [[field hockey pitch]] in front of the arena. The Senate convened on a nearby parking lot, before joining the House for a joint convention on the field hockey pitch to certify the results of the [[2020 United States elections|2020 general election]] and to elect the [[Secretary of state (U.S. state government)|secretary of state]] and the [[state treasurer]].

In April 2022, $6 million UNH spent on renovations, that included a reduction in the size of the ice surface. The renovations also include installing new glass, more forgiving NHL-style boards, and a new sound system. This funding is part of a broader renovation project that aims to raise $16 million for facility improvements, which has also been supported by private donations, such as a $4 million gift from Anthony DiLorenzo, a UNH alumnus and founder of Key Auto Group<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.unionleader.com/sports/college/whittemore-center-rink-shrink-plan-to-reduce-the-ice-surface-is-underway/article_685fd5b0-2da1-5a4f-a0bf-bfed0149b378.html | title=Whittemore Center rink shrink: Plan to reduce the ice surface is underway |work=New Hampshire Union Leader |access-date=2022-01-16}}</ref>

In August 2023, local multiple car dealership owner and 1987 UNH alumni Anthony DiLorenzo gave a $4 million gift to the University. This gift is to expand training and support facilities as part of the $23 million UNH Hockey Renovation Project. Locker rooms, sports areas, video and study rooms, will all be added and funded through support from both the state of New Hampshire and [[Philanthropy|philanthropic]] donations. In addition to these advancements, Northeast Passage sled hockey will be given a fully accessible locker room. The Whittemore center and the Hamel Recreation Center became the Key Auto Group Complex.<ref> {{Cite web |url=https://unhwildcats.com/sports/2023/8/17/unh-hockey-renovation-project |title=WHITTEMORE CENTER AT KEY AUTO GROUP COMPLEX New Hampshire |date= |website= |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}</ref>

== Concerts and other events ==
The Whittemore Center is a versatile venue that hosts a wide range of events, including concerts, sports events, and other student activities. In 1995 the center has become a prominent location for live music performances, largely through the efforts of SCOPE (Student Committee on Popular Entertainment), a student-run organization at [[University of New Hampshire|UNH.]] SCOPE has been mainly responsible for the quality of the shows that UNH has been given in past recent years. It is this organization's job to find up and coming artists to perform at the Whitt for all of campus to attend at a relatively cheap price. 

SCOPE has created and offered surveys for students at UNH to fill out and choose who they will most like to see perform at the Whitt from a list of options created by members of SCOPE. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-04 |title=Spotlight on: SCOPE |url=https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2018/05/spotlight-scope |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=UNH Today |language=en}}</ref> 

Some performances include:

* 1990s: Dave Matthews Band (1996), [[Bob Dylan]] (1999), Matchbox Twenty (1998)
* 2000s: Willie Nelson (2004, 2008), Bob Dylan (2004), Snoop Dogg (2008)
* 2010s: [[Avicii]] (2011), David Guetta (2012), [[Kendrick Lamar]] (2013), Galantis (2017)
* Recent events: [[Playboi Carti]] (2019), Brett Young (2023), Rae Sremmurd (2023), [[Flo Rida]] (2024)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Concert History of Whittemore Center Arena Durham, New Hampshire, United States (Updated for 2024 - 2025) {{!}} Concert Archives |url=https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/whittemore-center-arena--2 |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=www.concertarchives.org}}</ref> 
Along with concerts, this arena was the host for other events such as Broadway musicals ([[Cats (musical)|Cats]] and Jesus Christ Superstar) and also large University events such as presidential inaugurations, campaign celebrations and other important academic ceremonies. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-25 |title=Whittemore Center Arena |url=https://www.unh.edu/events-conferences/facility/whittemore-center-arena |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Events & Conferences |language=en}}</ref>

For example, the center has also been holding political rallies for campaign runners. In December 2023, the Whittemore Center held a venue for [[Donald Trump|Donald Trump's]] political rally in 2023 and [[Barack Obama|Obama]] in 2016. It is one of the largest event spaces in the state, making it an ideal location for accommodating large crowds.

== Free Skate ==
The Whittemore Center allows for open skate, as well as stick and puck opportunities. The Whitt provides open skate to University of New Hampshire faculty and staff, as well as enrolled [[Student|students]]. Public skate is available to the public during the majority of the winter months.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-02 |title=Open Skate and Stick & Puck |url=https://campusrec.unh.edu/programs/open-skate-stick-puck |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Campus Recreation |language=en}}</ref> Open skate for UNH staff and students is free, and public skate has an $8 entry fee per person. Skate rentals are also available for $3, this is first come first serve as the number of skates are limited. Anyone is able to go to the campus recreation website to look at open skate and puck and stick available spots for any winter season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Open Skate - Fusion Member Portal |url=https://crec.unh.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=af8ff201-7146-4688-b10e-fe79418e3ff2&semesterId=148a2153-72c5-45fd-9d4e-20c8fdba05a4 |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=crec.unh.edu}}</ref> 

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons cat}}
* {{official website}}

{{University of New Hampshire}}
{{navboxes
|titlestyle = {{CollegePrimaryStyle|New Hampshire Wildcats|color=white}}
|list   =
{{New Hampshire Wildcats men's ice hockey navbox}}
{{New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey navbox}}
{{New Hampshire Wildcats men's basketball navbox}}
{{New Hampshire Wildcats women's basketball navbox}}
{{NCAA Women's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament}}
{{Hockey East}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:College basketball venues in New Hampshire]]
[[Category:College ice hockey venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Ice hockey venues in New Hampshire]]
[[Category:University of New Hampshire buildings]]
[[Category:New Hampshire Wildcats men's basketball]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Strafford County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:University and college buildings completed in 1995]]
[[Category:1995 establishments in New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1995]]