HR0103 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0103 LRB098 10649 GRL 41493 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The University of Illinois Assembly Hall was opened on March 2, 1963, born out of the need for a single arena that could seat an entire university class; the hall was designed by renowned architect Max Abramovitz and cost $8.7 million to construct; and

WHEREAS, The University of Illinois Assembly Hall was constructed entirely of poured concrete; the dome is just 3 1/2 inches thick, but its steep folds and light-weight aggregate combine to give it tremendous strength; the hall "floats" thanks to 614 miles of steel wire very tightly wrapped around the edge of the dome; and

WHEREAS, The University of Illinois Assembly Hall is the largest venue in Illinois outside of the Chicago United Center; and

WHEREAS, The University of Illinois Assembly Hall has hosted countless performers and events, including the Rolling Stones, Garth Brooks, Elvis Presley, U2, Frank Sinatra, "Les Miserables", Bob Hope, Whitney Houston, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Aerosmith, Cher, Tina Turner, "Cats", Bill Cosby, the University of Illinois Commencement, the Harlem Globetrotters, Bruce Springsteen, and "Sesame Street Live!"; and

WHEREAS, The University of Illinois Assembly Hall has hosted Big Ten Championship basketball teams in 1963, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005 for the men, and 1997 for the women; and

WHEREAS, 25 Fighting Illini men's teams and 8 women's teams that have played in the Assembly Hall advanced to NCAA Tournament play in the last 50 years; 2 NCAA Final Four men's teams called the Assembly Hall home in 1989 and 2005; and

WHEREAS, The Assembly Hall hosted the Illinois High School Association State Boys Basketball Tournament from 1963 to 1995, the IHSA State Girls Basketball Tournament from 1978 to 1990, and the IHSA State Wrestling Championships from 1967 to the present; the Assembly Hall has also hosted Big Ten and NCAA Championship events in wrestling and gymnastics; and

WHEREAS, Home attendance at the Assembly Hall for men's basketball ranks in the Top 25 nationally for 33 straight seasons; average home attendance at Assembly Hall for men's basketball has averaged 16,000 fans over the last 11 seasons; the Assembly Hall has enjoyed sold-out crowds (16,618) 125 times in the last 11 seasons; and

WHEREAS, The University of Illinois Assembly Hall serves as both a part of the rich history of the University of Illinois and as an architectural marvel of this State; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the staff and administration of the University of Illinois on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the university's Assembly Hall; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the University of Illinois as a symbol of our esteem and respect.