Editing Yuengling Center (section)

==History==
Before the Yuengling Center, USF's basketball teams played at various locations on and off campus. The basketball teams first played at [[Curtis Hixon Hall]] in downtown Tampa, and later split their home schedule between Curtis Hixon Hall, the [[Bayfront Center]] in [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]], [[Expo Hall]] at the [[Florida State Fairgrounds]], and the [[USF Gymnasium]] on campus, among others.<ref>{{Cite web|title=media guide 1920 FINAL (PDF)|url=https://gousfbulls.com/documents/2019/10/24/media_guide_1920_FINAL.pdf|access-date=August 30, 2020|website=USF Athletics|language=en}}</ref>

By 1975, both the University of South Florida and the [[University of Florida]] in Gainesville had decided to build new on-campus indoor sports facilities. The two schools pooled their resources and shared the cost of a basic arena design to stretch limited state funding. The "core unit" of the Sun Dome and UF's [[O'Connell Center]] were nearly identical, and they each featured a flexible, inflatable roof made of [[Teflon]] and supported by a system of blowers. However, the O'Connell Center included facilities for other sports (namely gymnastics, volleyball, swimming and diving) around the main arena, while the Sun Dome as originally built did not, though it later added The Corral for the women's volleyball team after a renovation in 1995.<ref name="USF"/>

The $12 million Sun Dome broke ground in November 1977 on formerly open land on the southeast side of campus near Fowler Avenue. Construction was slowed on both the Sun Dome and the O'Connell Center when cracks appeared in [[precast concrete]] support beams.<ref name="cracks">{{cite news |title=State Plans Lawsuit Over O'Connell Center Defects|first=Larry|last=Keen|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19830326&id=zjxWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7358,3720405|newspaper=[[Gainesville Sun]]|date=March 26, 1983|access-date=November 27, 2012}}</ref> The problems were eventually fixed, and the sister facilities were completed within a few weeks of each other in late 1980 – the Sun Dome in November and the O'Connell Center in December.<ref name="USF">Walbolt, Dan (Interviewee) and Huse, Andrew T. (Interviewer), [http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/usfhistinfo_oh/194 ''Dan Walbolt oral history interview by Andrew Huse, July 13, 2004''] (2004).Digital Collection - USF Historical Archives Oral Histories. Paper 194.</ref>

The first two events at the new arena were a USF men's basketball game against [[Florida A&M]] and a concert by [[Alice Cooper]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=About {{!}} Yuengling Center |url=https://www.yuenglingcenter.com/venue-information/about |access-date=November 23, 2020|website=www.yuenglingcenter.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 2000, the original inflatable roof was replaced with a more conventional hard dome and additional facilities for USF indoor sports programs were added around the main arena at a cost of about $8 million (about ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|8000000|2000}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US}}

In 2011, USF began a major renovation of the Yuengling Center at a cost of $35.6 million (about ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|35600000|2011}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars). Among other interior improvements, this renovation reconfigured the seating area to make the facility [[Americans With Disabilities Act|ADA compliant]] and [[LEED Silver]] certified.<ref>{{Cite web|title=LEED Projects {{!}} USF Facilities Management|url=https://www.usf.edu/administrative-services/facilities/leed-sustainability/projects.aspx|access-date=July 23, 2021|website=www.usf.edu}}</ref> It also added a larger center hung scoreboard, a larger team store, a new concourse level with concessions and restrooms, and a new, athletes-only dining hall. On the outside, original exterior concrete was repaired, bricks were added to some portions of the facade, and the entrance gates were improved. This project was completed in April 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Renovated USF Sun Dome earns positive marks as concert-friendly venue|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/renovated-usf-sun-dome-earns-positive-marks-as-concert-friendly-venue/2119847/|access-date=March 24, 2021|website=Tampa Bay Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=May 15, 2012|title=Sun Dome Reopens; Is A Campus Football Stadium in USF's Future?|url=https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/culture/2012-05-15/sun-dome-reopens-is-a-campus-football-stadium-in-usfs-future|access-date=March 24, 2021|website=WUSF Public Media|language=en}}</ref>

In 2017, USF announced that the Sun Dome's management would be taken over by [[Jeff Vinik]], owner of the [[Tampa Bay Lightning]], via Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties, LLC.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sun Dome no more: After years of struggle, can the new Yuengling Center find a soul?|url=https://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/music/Sun-Dome-no-more-After-years-of-struggle-can-the-new-Yuengling-Center-find-a-soul-_171901448/|access-date=March 24, 2021|website=Tampa Bay Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeff Vinik group to manage USF Sun Dome|url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/colleges/genshaft-vinik-to-hold-news-conference-at-sun-dome/2322257/|access-date=March 24, 2021|website=Tampa Bay Times|language=en}}</ref> On June 12, 2018, USF announced a 10-year naming rights deal with brewer [[Yuengling]], effective July 1, 2018.<ref name="yuengling">{{cite news |last1=Knight |first1=Joey |title=Yuengling secures USF Sun Dome naming rights |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/usf-bulls/2018/06/12/yuengling-secures-usf-sun-dome-naming-rights/ |access-date=June 12, 2018 |work=tampabay.com |publisher=Tampa Bay Times |date=June 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Roa |first1=Ray |title=Tampa's USF Sun Dome will change name to Yuengling Center |url=https://www.cltampa.com/music/music-news/article/21008951/tampas-usf-sun-dome-will-change-name-to-yuengling-center |access-date=June 12, 2018 |publisher=Creative Loafing |date=June 12, 2018}}</ref>

In April 2021, [[WWE]] began a long-term residency at Yuengling Center, broadcasting its shows from a [[Behind closed doors (sport)|behind closed doors]] set called the [[WWE ThunderDome]], which lasted until July 2021.

The student section was renamed in honor of former USF men's basketball coach [[Amir Abdur-Rahim]] following his death in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 2, 2024|title=Bulls Nation Pays Tribute To Beloved Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim |url=https://gousfbulls.com/news/2024/11/2/mens-basketball-bulls-nation-pays-tribute-to-beloved-coach-amir-abdur-rahim.aspx |access-date=November 3, 2024|website=USF Athletics |language=en}}</ref>