University of Tennessee Athletics
Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center
WELCOME TO THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA AT FOOD CITY CENTER!
Located on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville, Tennessee, Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center is home to the University of Tennessee's Men's and Women's Basketball and Volleyball programs. Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center is the third largest on-campus basketball arena in the country and is one of the nation's biggest and brightest stages for college basketball. Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center also hosts a variety of concerts, special events, commencement ceremonies, and other community activities each year. We hope to see you at one of our events soon!
THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA AT FOOD CITY CENTER BUILDING POLICIES
Clear Bag Policy:
- Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center operates with a clear bag policy and stadium security regulations limit patrons to one clear plastic bag no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches or a one-gallon, clear, resealable plastic storage bag per person.
- Fans will also be allowed a small clutch purse not to exceed 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches. Wallets must also conform to this size requirement.
- No other bags will be allowed inside. All items, including clear bags and clutch purses, are subject to search at the gates. No items can be left or stored at the gates.
- Medically necessary items must be searched. Diaper bags are not a medically necessary item. All diaper bag supplies should be carried in a clear bag.
Metal Detectors:
- Walk-through metal detectors are in place and operational at all arena entrances for all events. Patrons are encouraged to bring only necessary items with them in order to ensure a smooth and timely entry. Please allow additional time for entry.
- The following items must be removed and placed in the bin prior to walking through the metal detectors: cellphone, camera, and other large metal objects.
- The following items may remain on-person or in pockets: watch, jewelry, wallet, belt, jacket, shoes, and coins.
Alcohol Guidelines:
- Beer will be sold throughout Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center at concession stands and kiosks.
- Regardless of age, everyone will be required to produce a valid photo ID each time alcohol is purchased.
- Valid photo IDs include: valid driver’s license, military ID card, passport, or government-issued photo ID card.
- Individuals consuming alcohol must be able to present a valid photo ID at all times; patrons may be asked to show their ID away from the point of sale.
- You don’t just need to be at least 21 years old – you need to be able to prove it.
- A maximum of 2 alcoholic beverages may be sold per transaction.
- All alcoholic beverages will be poured into a clear cup.
- Alcohol Sales will be cut off at the following times:
- Concerts and Special Events: Service concludes no later than 30 minutes prior to the end of the show
- Men’s Basketball: Service concludes at the 12-minute mark of the 2nd half
- Women’s Basketball: Service concludes at the end of the 3rd quarter
- Other Sports: Service will conclude at a designated time no later than when 75% of the event’s regulation length is scheduled to be completed.
- Individuals will be ejected from the Arena and are subject to prosecution if they pass off beer to a minor, attempt to use a fake ID, or if they are intoxicated.
Smoking & Vaping Policy:
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a smoke-free campus. Smoking is prohibited in the Arena and on all University Property. This includes inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette (including an electronic cigarette or similar device), pipe, or other lighted tobacco product, in any manner or in any form by any guest or employee. This prohibition includes smoking in private vehicles when parked or operated on University Property. There are no designated smoking or vaping areas at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.
Re-Entry Policy:
The Arena has a no re-entry policy.
Cameras and Audio/Video Equipment:
Video Equipment is prohibited for all Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center Events. Non-professional cameras are permitted for athletic events and for most graduation ceremonies. Camera polices vary on an event-by-event basis for concerts. Flash photography is not permitted.
First Aid:
If a guest requires first aid there are two First Aid Rooms located on the concourse behind Sections 115 and 127.
Lost and Found:
If you attended a Tennessee Athletics event and lost an item, please contact the Event Management office at 865-974-1205. If you attended a concert or special event and lost an item, please contact the Arena Management office at 865-974-0953.
Items NOT Permitted in the Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center:
- no aerosol cans
- no alcoholic beverages
- no illegal drugs
- no animals (except certified service dogs for disabled)
- no beach balls or other inflatables
- no bota bags
- no wine skins
- no bullhorns
- no noise makers
- no cameras*
- no recording devices*
- no confetti
- no fireworks
- no firearms
- no weapons
- no backpacks
- no glass bottles
- no aluminum cans
- no coolers
- no thermos containers
- no laser pointers
- no outside food or beverages (unless needed for medical purposes - must be checked at Gate D)
- no skateboards
- no roller blades
- no sticks or clubs
- no stools
- no folding chairs
- no water bottles/mugs
- no baby strollers or carriers
- no laptop computers
- no open umbrellas
- no knives or bladed devices of any length - this includes pocket knives
* Camera/Recording Device policy varies per event. Please contact us for more information at 865-974-0953.
Please note: any item such as knives or bladed devices will be confiscated. We will not hold these items to be picked up at a later time - they will be discarded.
BOOKING INFORMATION
For booking and rental information, please contact Brad Painter by telephone at 865-974-0032 or by email.
FACILITY PROFILE
| Curtain System | YES |
| Floor Size | 18,390 sq. ft |
| Number Fire Aisles | The fire aisles are to be at a 6 ft. minimum in the stage and house area and 4 ft. clearance from backstage. |
| Pyrotechnics Allowed | YES (Permit and Demonstration REQUIRED). The fire aisle are a 6 ft. minimum in the stage and house area and 4 ft. clearance from backstage. |
BACK-STAGE ROOMS
| Name of Room | Size | Description | Distance From Stage |
| Room 1 | 22' x 18' | With bathroom and shower | 70 feet – directly behind stage |
| Room 2 | 22' x 18' | With bathroom and shower | 70 feet – directly behind stage |
| Room 3 | 22' x 18' | With bathroom and shower | 70 feet – directly behind stage |
| Room 4 | 22' x 18' | With bathroom and shower | 70 feet – directly behind stage |
| Small team size rooms (4) | With 3 bathrooms and 3 showers | 90 feet – directly behind stage | |
| Miscellaneous Information: | |||
| Climate can be controlled for the dressing rooms; and the four "star" dressing rooms are separate from the "team" rooms. | |||
| Furniture available. | |||
HOUSE EQUIPMENT
| Equipment Name | Quantity | Description |
| Spotlights | 6 | Super Arcs Lycian - 1267 |
| Staging | 60 pieces | StageRight ME - 3750 (Portable); Configured up to 60 ft. x 48 ft; Size 4' x 8'; Height 4 ft. – 6 ½ ft. (Adjustment in height increments of 2 inches) |
| Forklifts | 2 | Mitsubishi and Caterpillar; Weight 4,000 lbs./ 5,000 lbs. |
LOAD-IN DOCK INFORMATION
| Dock Information | Yes |
| Number of Trucks at a Time | Two trucks at a time at dock. Can load in building from two loading areas. |
| Parking Spaces For Buses | Parking for buses is under Pratt Pavilion beside the Arena. |
| Parking Spaces For Trucks | Parking for trucks is across the street from the west loading dock. |
RIGGING
| Load Bearing Capacity | Maximum load at any single panel point is 5,000 lbs. Maximum total roof load for an event is 200,000 lbs. |
| Height to Ceiling (ft) | 120 ft. |
| Height to High Steel (ft) | 120 ft. |
| Height to Low Steel | 100 ft. |
| Type of Ceiling | Open |
| Beam Structure | 32 feet square |
| Building Top | Flat |
| Catwalk | Available, but rigging from catwalk is not permitted |
| Scoreboard | Scoreboard retracts to 60 feet from floor to lower steel. The center ring of speakers surround the scoreboard are located 60 feet from floor to lower steel as well. |
| Comments: All loads should be hung from truss panel points located interior to the four columns that support the roof structure. Panel point means where there is a vertical (straight or diagonal) that intersects one of the horizontal members of the truss.. | |
POWER FEED INFORMATION
| Amps Per Feed | Phases | Distance from Upstage Center |
| 400 | 3 | 20 feet Stage Left (3 services) |
| 600 | 3 | 20 feet Stage Right |
| 400 | 3 | 20 feet Stage Right (2 services) |
| 200 | 3 | 150 feet Mid-House (2 services) |
| 400 | 3 | 150 feet Mid-House |
| More info: | ||
| Exterior Bus Hook-Up? | YES | Individual connections under practice facility |
| Are services on separate transformers? | YES | Stage Left is separate from Stage Right |
ABOUT THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA AT FOOD CITY CENTER
The third-largest on-campus basketball arena in the country, Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center is one of the nation's biggest and brightest stages for college basketball.
History:
Named for the late B. Ray Thompson Sr. (1906-87) and former UT President Dr. Edward J. Boling (1922-2015), Thompson-Boling Arena opened in 1987 and regularly hosts Tennessee men's and women's basketball and volleyball matches as well as concerts, camps, conferences and other special events throughout the year.
Only Syracuse's Carrier Dome, which also is utilized for football, and UNC's Dean Smith Center can seat more on-campus basketball fans. Tennessee was one of only two schools in the country to rank in the top 10 nationally in both men’s and women’s basketball average home attendance during the 2017-18 season (Louisville was the other).
Renovations:
Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center has undergone a complete interior transformation dating over the last decade. In the fall of 2008, the University of Tennessee Athletics Department unveiled Phase I of a two-phase renovation project for the facility. The $35 million project marked the first major renovation in the venue's history.
Phase I included new seats for the entire arena, a center-hung scoreboard and concourse refurbishments, such as graphics and other amenities.
Phase I also included new luxury suites and loge seating, which were a primary funding source for much of the renovations. The 32 luxury suites are located in the north balcony of Thompson-Boling Arena. The loge area features 166 side court seats, located directly below the luxury suites and includes private adjoining hospitality areas.
Phase II highlights included the construction of a bridge connecting the G-10 parking garage to the arena at concourse level, and a 360-degree LED ribbon board located between the upper and lower decks also was added.
Finally, with the installation of state-of-the-art LED light fixtures—first put to use in February 2014—Thompson-Boling Arena became one of the first venues in the world to feature lights that are smaller, brighter, and up to 85 percent more efficient than conventional arena metal halide lights.
The light-emitting diode fixtures use an ORNL-developed lightweight graphite foam that cools the LED, making them more efficient and reliable. This enables ninety 400-watt LED fixtures to bathe the arena's floor with 200 foot-candles per square foot, compared to the 130 foot-candles produced by the arena's 110 old 1,100-watt fixtures.
In 2018, an extensive facelift took place to the existing men's and women's basketball locker-room space along the arena's north corridor on event level. Both locker rooms were enlarged and modernized with state-of-the-art technological and aesthetic enhancements. In addition, an expanded and enhanced athletic training facility, featuring world-class hydrotherapy systems, was completed for use by both basketball programs.
That new "Larry Pratt Basketball Locker Room Complex" cost $5 million, funded entirely through private gifts. Lead donor Larry Pratt's commitment of $2 million during the Campaign for Comprehensive Excellence—coupled with other leadership gifts—enabled UT to fund the project.
All restrooms throughout the facility also were renovated in 2018.
Funding for all Thompson-Boling Arena renovations projects came from donors to the Campaign for Tennessee Basketball, the Campaign for Comprehensive Excellence and revenue from new premium seating areas such as the north luxury suites and loge seats. The aforementioned capital projects bolstered Thompson-Boling Arena's reputation as one of the nation's premier basketball facilities.
Infrastructure:
Ticket facilities are conveniently located on the Phillip Fulmer Way level on the west end of the building.
The Tennessee men's basketball staff, along with the women's hoops staff, occupy offices in the arena on the Phillip Fulmer Way level. The arena's dining center, also located on Phillip Fulmer Way and highlighted by a Which Wich, operates on a daily basis, catering to the university's students and administrative staff.
Entrances to the building are located on the east and west ends, with protection from the elements provided by tucking the doors under the structure. There are a total of 132 entrance doors to the arena.
A continuous-ring concourse encircles the building permitting entrance to eight large restrooms, six concession areas and 32 portals leading to the arena. The playing floor level provides access to team dressing rooms, press work areas and storage rooms.
Fun Facts:
The distance from the playing floor to the roof is 120 feet, the equivalent of a 12-story building.
The arena is 448 feet long and 310 feet wide.
It contains more than 411,000 square feet of floor space and more than 17 million cubic feet of space.
The structure's roof measures 142,000 square feet, which is approximately three-and-one-quarter acres.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Ushers and Gatekeepers:
The hiring period for Ushers and Gatekeepers is from June until July each year and is done through the Tennessee Athletics Event Management Office. For more information, please contact the Tennessee Athletics Event Management Office at 865-974-1205.
Event Security:
All event security personnel are hired through Axis Security, Inc. Please contact 423-929-2947 or click here for more information.
Parking:
All parking personnel are hired through University of Tennessee Parking Services. Please contact 865-974-6031 for more information.
Concessions:
All of our concessions stands are operated by registered 501(c) 3 non-profit organizations, churches, and schools. Contracts are offered during the summer with the application period beginning each year on July 1. If you represent a non-profit organization and are interested in operating a concession stand, please contact our concessionaire, Aramark at 865-974-1204.
Stagehands:
- All stagehand positions are hired through the Arena Management Office. Contact Robbie Henry at 865-974-0953 for more information.
For additional information, please contact the Arena Management Office at 865-974-0953.
