The lifespan of major basketball facilities varies greatly. McKale Center, opened in 1973, is in remarkably good shape, thanks to tens of millions of dollars in renovations the last 25 years.
McKale Center as seen from above during the UA-Duke game on Nov. 22, 2024.
By comparison, Utah's Huntsman Center, built in 1969 and host to the 1979 Final Four, has been the subject of recent proposals to tear it down and build a new arena. North Carolina's Dean Dome, built in 1986, is also under scrutiny to demolish and start over.
The four arenas at which Arizona played its Final Fours are long gone, all with relatively short lifespans.
In 1988, the Wildcats played in Kemper Arena in Kansas City, built in 1974. It was closed 15 years ago and is now called the Hy-Vee Arena, repurposed for recreational sports such as tennis and pickleball.
In 1994, the Wildcats played at the Charlotte Coliseum, home of an NBA franchise. The Charlotte facility was razed in 2007.
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In 1997, Arizona played at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, home of the NFL's Colts. It was shuttered in 2008 at just 26 years old.
In 2001, the Wildcats played at the Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. Built in 1982, the Metrodome closed in 2013.
The next five Final Four sites: Detroit, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Dallas, Atlanta.
'The way we were:' Tears, triumph, time in Arizona’s Final Four history | Greg Hansen
