UT-Austin's New Basketball Arena To Be Named 'Moody Center'

AUSTIN, TX — The University of Texas at Austin’s new basketball arena and events center will be named Moody Center by virtue of a $130 million grant to the school from the Moody Foundation, officials announced Monday.

The foundation has generously supported universities, libraries, museums and hospitals across Texas for more than 75 years. Yet its grant to support Texas Athletics is the single largest gift from a foundation in the university’s history, bringing to more than $200 million the donations to UT Austin from the Galveston-based foundation.

Previously, the foundation contributed $50 million to support the Moody College of Communication and $20 million to reimagine and transform the exterior spaces at the Blanton Museum of Art. Overall, the foundation has contributed more than $260 million to institutions in the University of Texas System, officials said.

The foundation noted its latest donation also is among the largest gifts ever made to any university for a new arena. A groundbreaking ceremony for the Moody Center is scheduled Dec. 3 at the site of the arena south of Mike A. Myers Stadium. The Moody Center is expected to open in 2022.

Rendering courtesy UT-Austin.

“The Moody Center signals a new era for UT and Austin, providing fans and citizens the world-class experience they deserve in the world-class city we call home,” Ross Moody, trustee of the Moody Foundation and chairman and CEO of National Western Life Group, said in a prepared statement. “The Moody Foundation has a long history with this prestigious university and this wonderful community. We couldn’t be happier to partner with UT in this transformative gift to benefit future generations of Longhorns and Texans.”

Founded in 1942 by W.L. Moody Jr. and Libbie Shearn Moody, the Moody Foundation — the largest philanthropic foundation in the state — has made more than $1.7 billion in grants throughout Texas to organizations that have educated, healed, nurtured and inspired generations of Texans, officials said.

“The Moody Foundation and its trustees — Elle Moody, Ross Moody and Francie Moody-Dahlberg — continue to transform our university so we can better serve our students, community and the state. There is no more fitting Texas name for a world-class arena in the heart of our campus than ‘Moody,’ ” UT-Austin President Gregory L. Fenves said in a prepared statement. “This will be a state-of-the-art events center that will serve Texas’ student-athletes and benefit the entire Austin community. I am grateful to the Moodys for their generosity.”

Rendering courtesy of UT-Austin.

Added Vice President and Director of Athletics Chris Del Conte: “When the Moody Center opens, it will be the finest college basketball arena in the country, hands down, as well as an unbelievable concert and entertainment venue for the entire city of Austin,” said. “We cannot thank the Moody family and the Moody Foundation enough for their historic gift to The University of Texas.”

In December 2018, the university and a group led by the Oak View Group announced plans to build the arena on campus to be home to Texas Men’s and Women’s basketball games, and graduations, concerts and other events for the Austin community.

The Moody Center will replace the 42-year-old Frank C. Erwin Jr. Center, which in turn will make way for the future expansion of the Dell Medical School.

The 10,000-seat arena will provide an intimate, state-of-the-art men’s and women’s Longhorn basketball fan experience and feature student seating surrounding the court, officials described. "Much like the Erwin Center, the new venue will be a prime location for university, campus, community and high school events," officials added. "Additionally, the new arena is designed to expand to 15,000 seats and will provide a world-class venue for touring concerts and shows."

Rendering courtesy UT-Austin.