DEAN SMITH CENTER & CARTER FINLEY STADIUM

D1-3574

The Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, usually called simply the Smith Center and popularly referred to as the Dean Dome is a multi-purpose arena in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The arena is home to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels men's basketball team, and temporary home to the women's team during renovations to Carmichael Auditorium. The arena opened in 1986.

The arena is named after former North Carolina coach Dean Smith, who coached the team from 1961 to 1997. According to David Halberstam's biography of Michael Jordan, Smith did not want the arena named after him, but was persuaded by the UNC administration and the arena's backers that fundraising efforts for the facility could fail if they did not use his name.

The first game at the Dean E. Smith Center featured the #1 North Carolina Tar Heels against the #3 Duke Blue Devils on January 18, 1986. Warren Martin scored the first Tar Heel basket in the new stadium, Kenny Smith was credited with the assist. North Carolina ended up defeating Duke 95-92.

Unused 4" x 6" continental size chrome postcard.

Dist. by APS