24 Hours at the O'Dome

Tuesday, 23 March 2010 14:08

In 2009, we camped out at the O’Connell Center to see what, and by whom, happens behind the scenes of Gainesville’s giant white dome. One year, one basketball season and many photos later, here’s our report.

By Jessica Chapman, Vanessa DiMaggio and Ankita Rao; Photos by by Cait Deery, Jason Henry, Sarah Hsu, Sean Kelly and Rodney Rogers

Almost daily, the Stephen C. O’Connell Center buzzes with athletes, students, employees and fans. The colossal white “O’Dome” is best known as home to Gator basketball games (in 2007, it was named by ESPN The Magazine as the “Scariest Place to Play in the Country”), but it also houses a 648,000-gallon Olympic-size swimming pool, a dance studio, a gymnastics studio and a fitness center complete with two weight rooms and a martial arts room. And that’s just what you see.

On an average day, the O’Dome might host an advanced ballet class, a children’s swim lesson and a concert. The main arena can hold about 12,000 fans.

Operating one of these events takes more than meets the eye; the transition from The Wiggles children’s show to a women’s basketball game is planned, down to the layout of the chairs, months before patrons arrive.

To read the full story, pick up our March issue!