Leo D. Mahoney Arena Fairfield University

Fairfield, Conn.
Construction Cost: $51.5 million
Area / Square Feet: 84,000
Occupancy Date: November 2022

Leo D. Mahoney Arena is a multipurpose venue in the heart of Fairfield’s campus that serves as home for Stags basketball and volleyball, as well as concerts, commencements and other events, providing a hub of activity for students and the local community. 

Three sides of exterior glass provide exciting views into events and out toward campus. Natural light modeling was used to detail the arena’s glass and eaves to maximize natural light while eliminating direct sun on the court surface. The building’s compressed footprint fits a constrained site. Audiences are brought closer to the action with two decks of tiered seating — 2,400 seats in the lower bowl and 1,100 in the upper deck — providing more intimacy for staged events and a din of excitement for Stags games. 

Structural details, graphics and ornamentation throughout celebrate the university’s branding. The design pays homage to Mahoney Arena’s beloved but outdated 1959 predecessor through the new venue’s curved roof shape, graphic wall textures based on the original’s concrete block construction, and a center court medallion preserved and placed in the lobby.

Architect of Record

Centerbrook Architects and Planners

Centerbrook, Conn.

Suppliers

Locker/Shower - FlooringCreative Materials and Mohawk Industries
Gymnasium/Field House/Arena - Sound SystemsD&B
Gymnasium/Field House/Arena - Scoreboards/Timing SystemsDaktronics
Gymnasium/Field House/Arena - Scorers TablesDaktronics
Gymnasium/Field House/Arena - Folding ChairsDreamSeat
Gymnasium/Field House/Arena - Bleachers/GrandstandsIrwin Seating Company
Gymnasium/Field House/Arena - LightingMusco Sports Lighting LLC
Indoor Sports Surfaces - BasketballRobbins Sports Surfaces
Indoor Sports Surfaces - VolleyballRobbins Sports Surfaces
Locker/Shower - Shower/Toilet PartitionsScranton Products
Locker/Shower - LockersShield Lockers
Gymnasium/Field House/Arena - Basketball Backboards/SupportsSpalding Sports Equipment
Gymnasium/Field House/Arena - Volleyball Nets and StandardsSports Imports
Other: ConcessionsVollrath Foodservice
Laundry - DryersWascomat
Laundry - WashersWascomat