Longhorns Country

Frank Erwin Center Demolished; Texas Says Goodbye to 'The Drum'

Texas Longhorns say goodbye to the home of Texas Basketball for over 45 years

Evan Vieth

A basketball hoop remains as crews continue to demolish the Frank Erwin Center Friday April 12,
A basketball hoop remains as crews continue to demolish the Frank Erwin Center Friday April 12, / Jay Janner / American-Statesman / USA
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The Frank Erwin Center was the home of Texas Basketball from 1977 all the way until the conclusion of the 2021-22 basketball season, but now the site will be the home of the expanded Dell Medical School. 

The Drum, as the center was nicknamed due to it’s round, beige shape, was replaced by the Moody Center at the start of the 2022-23 season and has since been out of operation. On May 1, 2023, the University announced a series of demolition projects that has finally concluded as a full year later.

The new site, as noted by university president Jay Hartzell, will be a part of the University of Texas’s Dell Medical School. The specific site will be the host of the University of Texas at Austin Medical Center, working alongside MD Anderson’s Cancer Center. In a tweet sent out by Hartzell, the president said the following.

“We aren’t simply building a traditional academic medical center. We have an opportunity that is unique in Texas and only possible at a few places in the world to build an academic medical center that is linked to a top research university and that is driven by innovations in technology, digital health, data science, artificial intelligence, robotics, material science and more.”

The Drum was originally built as the home of Texas Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams, replacing the Gregory Gymnasium that currently hosts Volleyball games. The multi-purpose facility additionally hosted many concerts in Austin, as it also acted as the premier arena for music in Texas’ most music-focused city.

The center has hosted a multitude of fascinating events in its time. From basketball, to commencement ceremonies, all the way to Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, the Erwin Center is a memorable piece of UT life for many graduates and current students.

With its official demolition, the University of Texas marks a new era in both the entertainment and medical industries. 

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Evan Vieth
EVAN VIETH

"Evan Vieth is a contributor covering the Texas Longhorns for Sports Illustrated and a rising senior at the University of Texas at Austin, studying journalism and sports media. Since joining SI and On SI in May of 2024, Evan has dedicated his efforts to providing in-depth coverage of Texas athletics. He also serves as the sports editor for The Daily Texan, where his commitment to Texas Sports began in 2021. In addition to his work with SI and The Daily Texan, Evan has written for On SI, The Texan, and Dave Campbell's Texas Football. He created his own Texas Sports podcast, The 40 Yard Line, during his time at UT Austin. His reporting has taken him to locations like Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and The Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Originally from Washington, DC, Evan has been surrounded by sports his entire life, playing baseball and soccer and writing sports stories since high school. Follow him on Twitter @evanvieth or contact him via email at evanvieth@utexas.edu."

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