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Tar Heel basketball alumni are mad about the Dean Dome disappearing.
Lee Roberts, the second Dukie to become chancellor at UNC (after Paul Hardin) is no match for a battalion of former Tar Heels who don’t want their forever hoops home to be replaced.
Ever since Roberts did a soft roll-out of his idea for a new arena, the legendary Basketball Family has united in loud objection to the prospect of a multi-use development at the old Chapel Hill North off-campus site.
Raymond Felton, point guard on Roy Williams’ first national championship team in 2005, joined Justin Jackson on Theo Pinson’s popular podcast (both were stars on Ol’ Roy’s third NCAA titlists in 2017) in totally trashing the idea.
“You are taking away our tradition,” Felton said of Roberts. “You better freaking start caring. Taking away our tradition of the Dean Dome? There’s certain things you don’t touch.
“Redo the locker room, do some stuff? Cool. But building another arena in Chapel Hill is insane.”
Pinson, whose personality lit up the place, said, “It’s the Smith Center, Roy Williams Court. There’s so many things that have happened there that need to continue to happen.”
Jackson, ACC Player of the Year as a junior, added, “You ask any North Carolina player, there’s not going to be a single one that says, ‘Yes, I want a new arena. Guys who have played at the Dean Dome. Their answer is going to be the exact same answer because of what the Dean Dome means.”
Hubert Davis, who developed into an All-ACC star and record holder for shooting the 3-pointer there, pauses when asked about a new home. Then he talks about how much he enjoys going to work at the Dean Smith Center, practicing and coaching games there. He can’t go against his boss like those veterans, but his feelings are undeniable.
Roberts isn’t saying for sure what they will do, and the reaction of former players will certainly be considered. He talks of a business and residential community surrounding a 16,000-seat arena, bringing more revenue into the university and the town. By now, he knows it is a hot-button issue.
Smith wanted a bigger venue so more people could see the Tar Heels play in person. But the supply and demand has changed dramatically, with rising ticket prices, 9 o’clock starts and large HD TVs the norm in most homes. There could be renovations made that would lower the capacity and add suites, but the single, crowded concourse and limited storage space in the half-around lower level could not be improved without some serious construction.
Smith won his first NCAA title with the 1982 team that played in the old Carmichael Auditorium and his second in 1993 eight years after moving into the dome.
And that is where most of the Tar Heels want to stay or UNC risks losing their support. So it may be back to the drawing board.
Featured image via UNC-Chapel Hill/Jon Gardiner
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Tell Roberts to recommend to coach K to build a new stadium to replace Cameron!!!!
Tin Can> Wollen Gym> Carmichael Auditorium> Smith Center. History has a way of repeating. Carmichael had a true home court advantage the Smith Center never duplicated because of the seating priorities. UNC’s most important basketball alum never played in the Smith Center. Offended former players seems like trivial matter in relative terms. Doubtful any 17-18 y/o recruits know who these players are and surely won’t know them by the time a new building is ever built.
Did someone decide to build a replacement for Wrigley Field or Fenway Park? NO, they did not.
Well, then.
The more UNC spends, the worse the program gets. Get a decent head coach. Win some games, get to the tournament. Jeez, UNC ought to be playing in the Chapel Hill High School gym.
The argument for a new basketball arena that I’ve seen is so they can have luxury box suites. That seems like a piss-poor reason. Is the Dean Dome in bad shape? Is there a structural reason for abandoning it? If the luxury suites are the only reason then of course most people are against it.
I find the whole skybox idea to be the most ridiculous.
Really!? For the “people’s university?”
I, my husband and daughter are all Carolina graduates and DO NOT want to replace the Dean Dome. We have gone to all home games except 2 since it was opened. All of our friends feel the same. I understand that all current students want to keep the Dean Dome because they enjoy the ability to walk to the games. Thank you for the article in support of keeping the tradition.
Is there any way that there could be a petition or facebook posting that people in favor of keeping the Dean Dome could voice their opinion. A neighbor of mine said he got a letter asking his opinion. My husband and I are big Rams and never got a letter. My daughter got a journalism degree and would help if you have any suggestions.
Barbara DeMay Smith Class of 71
I live in Tennessee but have been a UNC basketball fan for about 60 years, even attending a game or two in the Dome, so I hope it can be kept. BUT…University of Tennessee has just increased basketball ticket prices to raise money for NIL. I suspect the new arena is intended to bring in more money for the same reason, as NIL is such an incentive to recruit the top talent.
Is a new arena really needed? Kansas (Allen Fieldhouse, 1955), Kentucky (Rupp Arena, 1976) , and Duke (Cameron Indoor, 1940) all play in “ancient” venues. Doesn’t seem to be much of a factor in their success. Use the money for NIL and see if that makes a difference.
A Duke alumni has no business with the authority to destroy Carolina tradition. He seems to be slowly and intentionally eroding Carolina basketball tradition by evilly extending a long term contract to Hubert Davis instead of hiring a coach that is going to uplift the basketball program rather than bringing continued embarrassment to Chapel Hill. He seems to like and enjoy the direction Duke’s program is heading, but doesn’t seem to give a damn about how much damage he has done to Carolina basketball. The thought of replacing the Dean Dome should be a red flag on the field to the Board that neither he or Hubert Davis are the right ones for the job. One thing is for certain, Duke or no other blue blood would hire either one of them.
As a 9 years 3 degree devoted UNC basketball alumnus, I vote no for a new arena off campus at that. Use some ingenuity to add boxes and the extra concourse to the Dean Dome.