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RIMAC

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Coordinates: 32°53′07″N 117°14′21″W / 32.885278°N 117.239223°W / 32.885278; -117.239223 (RIMAC)
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This article is about the athletic complex. For other uses, see Rimac (disambiguation).
RIMAC
LionTree Arena
Map
Full nameRecreation, Intramural, and Athletic Complex
LocationSan Diego, California
Coordinates32°53′07″N 117°14′21″W / 32.885278°N 117.239223°W / 32.885278; -117.239223 (RIMAC)
Public transitGilman Transit Center, MTS, NCTD
OwnerUniversity of California San Diego
Capacity5,000 (Arena)
750 (Soccer stadium)
17,000 (Sun God Festival)
Field size44,000 sq ft (4,100 m2) (Arena)
505,000 sq ft (46,900 m2) (Field)
Construction
Broke ground1992
Opened1995
Expanded2008
ArchitectParkin Architects
Tenants
UC San Diego Tritons (NCAA D-I) (1995–present)
San Diego Zest FC (PDL) (2016–present)
Website
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The Recreation, Intramural, and Athletic Complex (RIMAC, /ˈriːmæk/ REE-mak) is a sports complex in San Diego, California, located on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. LionTree Arena[1] is home of the UC San Diego Tritons men's and women's basketball, men's and women's volleyball, and men's and women's fencing teams.[2] Triton Soccer Stadium is home of the men's and women's soccer teams.[3] The Tritons compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big West Conference (BWC) for basketball, volleyball, and soccer, and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) for fencing.

History

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In 1990, UC San Diego proposed a fee increase of $70 per student to fund a new athletic and event complex. Advocates of the project argued that the existing Main Gym did not have enough aerobic or weight-lifting space to support a rapidly growing university.[4] In addition, Main Gym only seated 2,200 and was rarely available for concerts.[5] The referendum narrowly passed with 51% of the votes, but the results were contested for years.[6]

In September 1991, the Regents of the University of California approved a $33.5 million design by Parkin Architects for the proposed complex, which was architecturally similar to the existing Price Center. Construction began in December 1992, and the facility was completed in December 1994.[7] Upon its completion, RIMAC was the largest NCAA Division III athletic complex in the country and remains one of the largest among all universities.[8][9] The complex was inaugurated by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's speech dedicating the newly-named Eleanor Roosevelt College.

Since 2011, the facilities have been run by the Director of Event Management Marc Beasley.

In 2015, RIMAC was LEED-silver certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.[10]

UC San Diego announced on June 16, 2022 that RIMAC Arena has been renamed LionTree Arena in recognition of a $5 million gift for scholar-athletes.[11]

Arena building

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Mossy steps leading to the side entrance to LionTree Arena.
Side entrance of LionTree Arena

LionTree Arena is the name used to refer to the 186,000 square foot building that houses both the home arena of the Tritons and the adjacent auxiliary gym.[4] The 44,000 square foot arena itself stands 52 feet tall (45 feet from floor to rafters) and contains six dressing rooms and a 60-by-40-foot-stage, among other facilities. It seats 4,200 spectators in the bleachers for Triton basketball and volleyball home games, expandable to 5,000 through the use of floor seats for concerts.[5] Curtains can divide the facility into five basketball courts that use Robbins Bio-Cushion I flooring.[12] The floor space can also be used for conventions, concerts, trade shows, and other events. In the past, it has hosted training camps for the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings.[13] Since 2011, concerts have been exclusively booked by Nederlander Concerts.[14]

The auxiliary gym accommodates two additional basketball or volleyball courts, as well as three mirrored activity rooms, two squash courts, eight racquetball courts, a wellness center, a pro shop, two conference rooms, and two locker rooms. It also contains a 12,000 square foot weight and fitness room, which was the highest priority for students upon construction.[4] This supplements the original UCSD Main Gym weight room, as well as the subsequently constructed Spanos Training Facility and Canyonview Aquatic Center. A 3,000 square foot pit can be reserved for athletic teams.[8][15]

Field

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RIMAC Field is an 11.8-acre Santa Ana Grass field located immediately northeast of LionTree Arena.[16] The field is used for NCAA, club, and intramural athletic events, as well as the UC San Diego convocation and commencement ceremonies. It can be divided into five regulation soccer fields or adapted for concerts and music festivals. Previously, it was used by the San Diego Chargers as their training camp facility.[17]

UC San Diego's annual Sun God Festival is held on RIMAC Field. The festival, which features two concert stages and various attractions, typically approaches the field's maximum attendance of 20,000. Like those at LionTree Arena, outside concerts on RIMAC Field have been exclusively booked by Nederlander Concerts since 2011.[14][18]

Triton Soccer Stadium

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For NCAA soccer games, a western section of RIMAC Field is cordoned off by temporary fences to create a regulation-sized soccer pitch. Permanent stone bleachers on the west side of the stadium allow a maximum capacity of 750, which can be expanded to 1,750 through the use of temporary bleachers for NCAA postseason fixtures. A commentary and scoring table is usually erected opposite the bleachers between the two teams' benches. The UC San Diego men's and women's soccer teams play their home games here.[17]

Triton Softball Field

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The Triton Softball Field on RIMAC Field

The regulation-sized UC San Diego softball field is located just south of Triton Soccer Stadium. It is usually separated from the rest of RIMAC Field by a fence that measures 220 feet from home plate.[19] In 2008, the school spent $8.6 million to expand the bleachers, improve the dugouts and field, and add a press box.[20]

RIMAC Annex

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RIMAC Annex with LionTree Arena in the background

RIMAC was originally planned to include more conference-room space, dining facilities, additional hot tubs, saunas, a rock-climbing center, and an outdoor resource center. Budget controversies forced the university to postpone many of these plans. In 2005, discussion reopened regarding the expansion of RIMAC's facilities to keep up with growing student demand, but these plans were again postponed. Finally, in 2008, construction began on RIMAC Annex, a 10,000-square-foot building located adjacent to LionTree Arena.[21] The $10 million building was completed September 2009.[22]

RIMAC Annex opened with several meeting spaces and study lounges, a convenience store, and a Peet's Coffee and Tea. A sports bar opened shortly afterwards.[22][23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "UC San Diego changes name of RIMAC Arena to LionTree Arena". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  2. ^ "UCSD Tritons Fencing". UCSD Tritons. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  3. ^ "RIMAC Arena". UC San Diego Athletics. University of California, San Diego. 8 August 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Jacoby, Pat (24 January 1995). "UCSD athletic complex opens with series of events" (PDF). UC San Diego News Release. No. RSS 6020. University of California, San Diego. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b Varga, George (6 April 1994). "RIMAC to include new concert venue". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  6. ^ Schmidt, Steve (12 December 1994). "Some love it, some hate it, but UCSD sports complex goes on-line next month". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  7. ^ Tucker, Tom; JaCoby, Pat (20 September 1991). "UC Regents approve funding for proposed $33.5 million athletic complex at UCSD" (PDF). UC San Diego News Release. University of California, San Diego.
  8. ^ a b Martin, Eric. "Top 10 College Gyms in America". Spot Me Bro. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  9. ^ Wesch, Hank (12 January 1995). "Some gym! Tritons lose inaugural, but their RIMAC is a winner". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  10. ^ "UCSD RIMAC". LEED Directory. U.S. Green Building Council. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  11. ^ "RIMAC renamed LionTree Arena". UCSD. UCSD. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  12. ^ "RIMAC Arena". UC San Diego Sports Facilities. University of California, San Diego. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  13. ^ Thuillier, Marcus (30 September 2015). "RIMAC Arena Hosts Sacramento Kings Training Camp". UCSD Guardian. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  14. ^ a b Varga, George (22 February 2011). "UCSD and Nederlander Concerts reach exclusive deal". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Weight Room". UC San Diego Sports Facilities. University of California, San Diego. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  16. ^ "Multipurpose Fields". UC San Diego Sports Facilities. University of California, San Diego. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  17. ^ a b "RIMAC Fields". UCSD Athletics. University of California, San Diego. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  18. ^ Guardian Staff (11 January 2015). "Sun God 2015 Festival with ASCE". UCSD Guardian. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  19. ^ "Softball Field". UC San Diego Sports Facilities. University of California, San Diego. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  20. ^ Chadwick, Don (12 March 2008). "UC San Diego Breaks Ground on RIMAC Annex and Softball Field Improvement Project for Player and Spectator Enhancements". UC San Diego News Center.
  21. ^ Palay, Daniel (13 April 2008). "New Building a Site of Both Student Needs and Wants". UCSD Guardian. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  22. ^ a b "RIMAC Opens New Addition". thisweek@ucsandiego. University of California, San Diego. 28 September 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  23. ^ "Booze Will Be Likely Presence at Future RIMAC Annex". UCSD Guardian. 1 March 2007. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
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