University of Tennessee Athletics
Pratt Pavilion Dedication
January 19, 2008 | Men's Basketball
The University of Tennessee unveiled and dedicated the new Pratt Pavilion basketball practice facility Saturday.
The UT Athletic Department first broke ground on the Pratt Pavilion in August 2006 and teams began practicing in the new structure on October 12, 2007. The facility houses two full-size gymnasia, space for sports medicine, a recruiting lounge, strength and conditioning, weight and film study rooms.
Some highlights of the day include the official dedication of:
?? Pratt Pavilion
?? Brenda Lawson Court
?? Kathleen M. Bolze (women???s) Locker Room
?? Frankie Ellis Wade Balcony
?? Kevin & Michelle Clayton (men???s) Locker Room
?? John Ward Film Room
University President John Petersen, Coach Bruce Pearl, Coach Pat Summitt, Men???s Athletic Director Mike Hamilton and Women???s Athletic Director Joan Cronan were among the key speakers for the event who showed their gratitude and appreciation to the donors who made this facility a reality.
Pratt Pavilion is named after Larry Pratt, a 1973 UT graduate and long-time supporter of The University of Tennessee. Larry???s love for Tennessee Athletics began at a young age when his father would bring him to various sporting events at Neyland Stadium, Alumni Gym and Stokely Athletic Center. These experiences continue to drive his devotion and passion for the Vols and the University of Tennessee.
Pratt Pavilion was made possible by 342 individual contributors through the Campaign for Tennessee Basketball.
In October 2006, Tennessee Athletics had a ground-breaking ceremony to officially recognize construction on the Pratt Pavilion, the state-of-art basketball practice facility named in UT alumnus Larry F. Pratt's honor for his $5 million lead gift to the basketball programs. The Pratt Pavilion will house two full-size gymnasiums, one for each of the men's and women's varsity basketball teams, as well as space for an athletic training room, a weight room, a film study room and a place to host recruits.
Directly connected to the arena, the Pratt Pavilion will have convenient ground level parking. It will be a 70,000-square-foot structure with four short courts within each of the two full size courts. The facility will be equipped with secured practice facilities, spacious locker rooms and recruiting rooms as well. Balconies at the south side of the building will overlook the practice courts.
The west facade of the building is glassed from the first floor to the second floor, allowing visibility of gallery and display areas from the street. The building itself will be a significant additional element to the picturesque south entrance to the University of Tennessee campus.
Pratt Pavilion has a total project cost of $16 million, funded entirely through private gifts.?? Lead donor Larry Pratt's commitment of $5 million in April 2006, coupled with leadership gifts from other campaign donors, including Jim Haslam, Brenda Lawson and Robbie Nutt, has enabled Tennessee to more forward with the project.
This is not Pratt's first donation. In the 1990s he honored his father Floyd by creating an endowed scholarship in his name as a member of the Nathan Dougherty Society.?? He also was recognized at the Tennessee vs. Georgia football game in 2003 for a $1 million donation to the STEP-UP Campaign.?? Pratt, an Athens, Tenn., native, currently resides in McLean, Va.?? He graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1972 from the college of business and serves as president and CEO of First Savings Mortgage Corporation, the largest private mortgage banker in Washington D.C.
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