Link to YouTube Roberts Pavilion video

Claremont McKenna College hosted a grand opening reception for the 144,000-square-foot Roberts Pavilion last week at the college.

In a previous statement, CMC President Hiram Chodosh said the Pavilion isn’t reserved for CMC students only.

“To be sure, the Pavilion is the home of CMS Athletics, but it’s a facility intended for use by all [Claremont Colleges] students. It’s an events center not just for athletics. The whole campus will be utilizing it,” he said.

Beyond Claremont-Mudd-Scripps volleyball and basketball games, the Pavilion will be a showcase venue for major campus events, such as concerts, orientations and convocations. According to Chris Spells, director of recreation and manager of Roberts Pavilion, the staff is formulating a comprehensive calendar of events including PE classes, recreation classes and other campus gatherings.

Named in honor of CMC trustee and alumnus George R. Roberts (Class of ‘66), the three-floor pavilion will be the athletic center for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps intercollegiate, intramural and physical education programs. Roberts Pavilion is about three times larger than Ducey Gym, which it replaces.

The building was designed by John Friedman/Alice Kimm Architects and is LEED Gold Certified. There is a two-story, 10,000-square-foot fitness studio with more than 60 treadmills, cross-trainers, exercise bikes, climbers, rowers, weight machines and other cardio equipment. Large exercise rooms are available for yoga, aerobics, spin, dance and other group classes. There is also a 4,500-square-foot dedicated weight room.

The south side of the Pavilion’s first floor will be home to CMS Sports Medicine. It has two hydrotherapy pools, five trainer tables and numerous therapy stations, all available to CMS athletes.

CMS Hall of Fame, team awards and trophies are on display in cases on the first and second floors. And in acknowledgement of its precursor, donor walls with the names of various contributors are made from wood panels that were once the bleachers in Ducey Gym.

Mr. Spells said that one of the most attractive aspects of the pavilion is its versatility.

“The arena can host varsity and special events, intramural contests, community events [in the future], and all can have a distinct look and feel,” he said. “I think it’s great that the building can do all of these while still allowing users to work out in the fitness center, weight room or on the courts, without interfering with any ongoing events. It makes for an all-encompassing scene here on a daily basis.”