Demolition to begin on Zorn Arena, attached buildings

Zorn Arena, Brewer Hall, Kjer Theatre and a section of the former Campus School that totals approximately 84,000 square feet will be demolished and redeveloped into green space and pedestrian walkways. Demolition is anticipated to begin on Kjer Theatre June 23 before crews move to dismantle Brewer Hall and Zorn Arena. Demolition, cleanup and seeding is scheduled to be completed in September.

Schofield Hall was the only permanent academic building on campus when Zorn Arena, then called the fieldhouse, opened in 1952, says Sarah Beer, associate university archivist in McIntyre Library.

“It symbolized the growing needs of the university and the growth of the university itself,” Beer says of the arena. “Once Zorn and the connected buildings were constructed, campus exploded. It was the starting point for change.”

The fieldhouse’s name was changed to University Arena in 1969 and renamed again in 1987 to honor longtime basketball coach Willis “Bill” Zorn. The building, the home of Blugold men’s and women’s basketball, has been vacant since the programs relocated to The Sonnentag in 2024.

Zorn 'rocking' for basketball games

Five men’s basketball coaches made the arena their home court, including Hall of Fame Coach Ken Anderson, who amassed over 600 wins in 27 years at UW-Eau Claire. The basketball court was named in Anderson’s honor in 2012.

“Zorn Arena always was rocking,” Paul Mattiacci, who played for Anderson from 1981-85, recalled in a 2024 interview. “It was always 3,000 people waiting in line for a few hours to get into games.”

Four women’s basketball coaches made Zorn Arena their home court as the program also rose to national prominence. The Blugolds hosted and played in the NCAA Division III Final Four at Zorn Arena in 1994 under former coach Lisa Stone. Current Blugold coach Tonja Englund won more than 350 games in the facility.

Zorn Arena played an integral part in not only campus history, but Eau Claire’s broader community history, Beer says.

“It gave us the capacity to invite iconic names from across the world to our campus and shed light on the city,” Beer says.

Future presidents spoke at arena

In addition to athletic events, Zorn hosted more than 150 commencement ceremonies, The Forum and Artists Series, political rallies, concerts, dances, orientation, freshman forums and health services.

The Forum and Artists Series presented more than 400 events at Zorn, including notables such as Martin Luther King Jr., Henry Kissinger, Hank Aaron, Maya Angelou, Gloria Steinem and Tony Bennett.

Political rallies at Zorn Arena attracted large crowds for speeches by future presidents Richard Nixon, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

During COVID-19 in 2021, the arena was the site of a Federal Emergency Management Agency mass vaccination clinic for northwest Wisconsin.