KU Memorial Union to host Grand Opening of the DeBruce Center Public Opening Celebration will be July 23rd
Courtesy of KU Memorial Unions
The KU Memorial Union, Student Union Activities (SUA), and Kansas Athletics Incorporated (KAI) will host a grand opening for the DeBruce Center on Saturday, July 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event will be free and open to the public, and will include family-friendly activities like face painting, balloon animals, games, exclusive deals available at The Original Rules Gift Shop and The Courtside Café, and more. Attendees will also have a rare opportunity to view and interact with artifacts from KU’s University Archives relating to the lives of James Naismith and Phog Allen. The Booth Hall of Athletics and the James Naismith court in Allen Fieldhouse will be open for viewing. Authors Scott Novosel, Greg Hardin, and Kevin Willmott will be signing copies of their books and DVDs during scheduled times throughout the event.
“This entire project is made possible through the generosity of KU’s friends and supporters,” said Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little. “Thanks to the DeBruce Foundation, the DeBruce Center is an outstanding place for the community to gather and provides the university with a space to welcome visitors and fans.”
The DeBruce Center creates a multi-dimensional experience of the University’s rich basketball history. Showcased at the heart of the facility is The Original 13 Rules of Basketball document, which was the catalyst for the creation of this new building. The space, however, needed to be more than just a game day attraction, as KU desired a facility that would serve its campus throughout the academic year. Gould Evans responded with a design that weaves together two distinct programs – an interpretive center for the Rules, and a student commons – allowing the story of basketball to unfold at multiple scales and to multiple audiences.
“One of our design goals was to create a building that respects the legacy of Allen Fieldhouse while making the history of basketball visible to passersby,” said Kelly Dreyer, Project Designer with Gould Evans. “The building is designed to reflect the surrounding campus buildings during the day, and to reveal the activities within as night approaches.”
The building includes a full dining facility, The Courtside Café, and “The Original Rules Gift Shop” to serve students, faculty, staff and campus visitors. For more information about the DeBruce Center dedication and grand opening, please go to debrucecenter.ku.edu.
About the Donor
Five years after graduating from KU’s School of Business in 1973, Paul DeBruce founded DeBruce Grain, Inc., and served as Chairman and CEO until the company was sold in 2010. For more than three decades, Mr. DeBruce led a team of more than 600 dedicated employees that built DeBruce Grain into an international, industry-leading agricultural and grain-trading firm. In 1989, Mr. DeBruce established The DeBruce Foundation, which works to expand opportunities for individuals and to act as a catalyst for innovative projects that solve problems faced by our community and our country.
About the KU Memorial Union
The KU Memorial Union, a not-for-profit affiliate of the University of Kansas, operates the KU Bookstore, KU Dining, KU Event Services, and KU Union Programs. Proceeds resulting from Union services are reinvested into KU student initiatives. For more information about the KU Memorial Union or any of its services, please call Curtis Marsh at 785.864.3200.
