Arlin R. Horton Sports Center
Sports Center Exterior
Location5307 Rawson Ln.
Pensacola, FL 32503
Coordinates30°28′18″N 87°13′54″W / 30.47167°N 87.23167°W / 30.47167; -87.23167
OwnerPensacola Christian College
Capacity3,196[lower-alpha 1]
Record attendance2,987 (known)
December 11, 1999
vs. Belhaven[1]
Construction
Opened1993[2]
Expanded2008[3]
Construction cost$14 Million[4]-$16 Million[5]
ArchitectStrobel & Hunter, Inc.[4]
General contractorOpus South[4]
Tenants
Pensacola Christian Men's Basketball
Pensacola Christian Women's Basketball
Pensacola Christian Volleyball
Pensacola Christian Men's Wrestling (defunct)
Website
Eagles Facilities – Arlin R. Horton Sports Center

The Arlin R. Horton Sports Center, or Sports Center, is a 216,000+ sq. ft.[6] basketball arena, fitness center, and leisure center located in Pensacola, Florida, on the campus of Pensacola Christian College. The venue opened in February 1993 and has been the home of the PCC Eagles men's basketball since its opening, women's volleyball since 1994, women's basketball since 2008, and the former home of the now-defunct men's wrestling team.[7][8][9] All teams are members of the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA). The arena has 3,196 seats, a capacity larger than sixty NCAA Division I basketball venues. It is named after Arlin Horton, co-founder of Pensacola Christian College.[10]

Description

Interior concourse connecting the ice-skating rink (left) and bowling alley (right).
Credit: PCHS-NJROTC

The arena is a two-story symmetrical structure with blue, dark blue, and sky-blue chair-back seats. The second-story deck is separated by glass wall panels and includes a running track.[11] All four corners of the arena have banners dedicating the four intercollegiate sports teams at PCC, including men's soccer, listing their accolades.

Also inside the Sports Center are fitness and leisure facilities. These include: a bowling alley, ice skating rink, rock climbing walls, mini-golf course, water park, and two snack bars.[8][11][12]

History

Carpeted volleyball court on the first floor of the Sports Center.
Credit: PCHS-NJROTC

The Sports Center opened in 1993, replacing the 2,000-seat John Ray Hall Field House for men's basketball;[2] the latter is still in use as of 2023 for intramural sports.[10] The first men's basketball game at the arena took place on November 12, 1993, who lost to Emmanuel College-Georgia, 99–95.[13] The Eagles' first win in the arena came seven days later in an 80–78 victory over Southeastern University.[14] The Sports Center housed the only indoor ice-skating rink in Pensacola until 1996 when the Pensacola Ice Pilots began play at the Pensacola Bay Center (formerly the Pensacola Civic Center).[15][16] The basketball arena temporarily served as overflow for chapel services until 2002 when PCC opened up the 6,300-seat Crowne Center auditorium.[17]

A 60,000 sq. ft.[18] expansion was completed in 2008 by Hewes & Company, LLC, which added rock climbing walls, a water park facility (including a FlowRider), roller-skating track, and a sun deck.[3][19]

In 2015, collegerank.net ranked the Pensacola Christian College water park as #1 in "The 30 Best College Pools" category.[20]

Home records

Does not include the current 2023–24 season

Men's basketball

Source:[21]

Years Wins/Losses
1993–2000 42–37
2000–2010 61–44
2010–2020 59–46
2020–Present 18–13
Total 180–140

Women's basketball

Source:[22]

Years Wins/Losses
2008–2010 3–14
2010–2020 77–48
2020–Present 29–5
Total 109–67


Notes

  1. ↑ The arena in its entirety can be viewed in a 360° virtual tour on the college website. The arena seating is exactly symmetrical (ex: the east wing is identical to the west wing, and the north wing is identical to the south wing), with the exception of two sections (one minute difference in the second deck of the East/West section; and the southeast section of the second deck differing from the NE/NW/SW sections.)

References

  1. ↑ "Belhaven College Season Schedule/Results & Leaders". belhaven.edu. Retrieved September 6, 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
  2. 1 2 Cavallin, Jeff (November 12, 1993). "PCC unveils Sports Arena tonight in home opener". Pensacola News Journal. p. 37 – via newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 Hewes & Company, LLC. "Pensacola Christian College Sports Center Addition". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Crane, Charlotte (April 3, 1992). "Christian College Thrives". Pensacola News Journal. p. 1 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Wallsten, Peter (July 7, 1996). "Taxpayers foot religious school's tax tab". Tampa Bay Times. p. 22 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Wagner, Sheila (April 2019). "Making a Splash at Pensacola Christian College". Private University Products and News. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020.
  7. ↑ Pensacola Christian College (1999). "PCC Update – Spring 1999" (PDF). static.pcci.edu.
  8. 1 2 Pensacola Christian College (2009). "PCC Update – Winter 2009" (PDF). static.pcci.edu.
  9. ↑ McNamara, Bill (November 20, 1994). "PCC Wins Wrestling Tourney". Pensacola News Journal. p. 37 – via newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 "Named Facilities · Pensacola Christian College". Pensacola Christian College. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  11. 1 2 Colville, Matt (December 28, 2019). "Arlin R. Horton Sports Center – Pensacola Christian College Eagles". stadiumjourney.com.
  12. ↑ Pensacola Christian College. "Pensacola Christian College Student Handbook 2023–2024" (PDF). static.pcci.edu. p. 56. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Pirates sprint to win in home debut; PCC loses opener". Pensacola News Journal. November 13, 1993. p. 41. Retrieved September 5, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "1993–94 Men's Basketball Schedule". Pensacola Christian College Athletics. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  15. ↑ Hu, Winnie (June 28, 1996). "PCC worth at least $184 million". Pensacola News Journal. p. 12 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Ice Pilots Formed". Pensacola News Journal. December 31, 1996. p. 5 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ Graybiel, Ginny (December 2, 2001). "Crown Center Reflects Architectural Wonder". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved September 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Sports Center Annex – 60,000 sq. ft". Pensacola Christian College. February 23, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
  19. ↑ "Sports Center Annex–NOW OPEN". Pensacola Christian College. 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
  20. ↑ Collegerank.net. "The 30 Best College Pools". College Rank. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  21. ↑ Pensacola Christian College Athletics Department. "Men's Basketball – Pensacola Christian College Athletics". pcceagles.com.
    Directions: Click on "Schedule" then click on the archive toggle box.
  22. ↑ Pensacola Christian College Athletics Department. "Women's Basketball – Pensacola Christian College Athletics". pcceagles.com.
    Directions: Click on "Schedule" then click on the archive toggle box.
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