Haas Pavilion (Berkeley, CA)

The Walter Haas Pavilion at the University of California was originally built in 1933 as the men’s gym and has since become the home for the men’s and women’s gymnastics teams, basketball teams, and women’s volleyball team.

The sports arena, which overlooks Evans Diamond and Edwards Stadium, was renamed Harmon Gym in 1959 after the Oakland native A.K.P. Harmon, who was a financier responsible for funding Cal’s first indoor athletic facility, which was built in 1879. The pavilion underwent a two-year, $57.5 million renovation from 1997-1999 – $11 million of which was donated by Walter Haas of Levis Strauss & Co. – and nearly doubled the seating capacity, raising it to 11,877.

On February 14, 2009, in celebration of the 100th season of Golden Bear basketball and the 50th anniversary of Cal’s national title in 1959, Cal faced off against their brutal rivals Stanford, in one of the more memorable games in Haas Pavilion history.

That same month, live inside the Haas Pavilion, ESPN’s College Gameday made its inaugural appearance in Berkeley broadcasting, showcasing a game that pitted Cal and the UCLA Bruins; unfortunately, despite an impressive turnout, Cal lost.