Georgia Southern University will officially open its new Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, December 4, at 3 p.m. The public is invited to join in celebrating the opening of this state-of-the-art facility, which will serve as a hub for student, athletic, and community events in Statesboro for years to come.
On Tuesday, media representatives were given an exclusive tour of the 95,000-square-foot, 5,900-seat event space and 8,000-square-foot classroom area by Matthew Shingler, Associate Vice President for Facilities. Shingler highlighted that the new center's seating capacity is 50% larger than the previous home of Georgia Southern basketball, Hanner Fieldhouse.
Enjoy the full tour below:
In addition to hosting Georgia Southern men's and women's basketball games, the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center will also provide classroom space for the Waters College of Health Professions.
Shingler encouraged the public to come out and experience the new flagship facility. "We are excited for the community to see the potential this facility has for both athletics and academic programs," he said.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will feature a lively celebration with Georgia Southern’s cheerleaders, pep band, and mascot, GUS the Eagle. Attendees will also be treated to giveaways and fun activities. A limited number of commemorative challenge coins will be available for the first guests who arrive.
Guided tours of the facility will be offered to the public from 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the day of the ceremony. The Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center is located at 284 Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Way in Statesboro.
Parking for the event will not be available at the Convocation Center. Guests are asked to park at Allen E. Paulson Stadium, located at 207 Lanier Drive, where a shuttle service will run continuously to the event location starting at 1:30 p.m. and throughout the duration of the ceremony.
Speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony will include:
- Kyle Marrero, President of Georgia Southern University
- Everett Kennedy, Regent
- Speaker Jon Burns, Georgia House of Representatives
- Senator Blake Tillery, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee
- Lance Hill, Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Family Representative
- Chris Davis, Georgia Southern University Athletics Director
- Georgia Southern SAAC Student Representative
Matthew Shingler did a great job with the video tour. But the video really can't tell the story of how impressive this venue is. You really need to plan to come out and see for yourself this incredible new addition to Georgia Southern University and our community.
We look forward to seeing all of you tomorrow at the ribbon cutting.