About the Arena

History of the Atlantic Union Bank Center

The Atlantic Union Bank Center opened in November, 2020 as the sparkling new home of the James Madison University men’s and women’s basketball programs, while also opening the door to a multitude of other events to benefit the campus and the local community. It stands as the preeminent facility of its type in the entire Shenandoah Valley.
 
The Convocation Center debuted as home to JMU basketball in 1982. Plans for a new facility were first publicly shared in April of 2015. In October of 2017, Union Bank & Trust was named as the naming partner for the venue. General contractor S.B. Ballard broke ground on the construction project in April of 2018, and in spring of 2019 a rebrand by the naming partner resulted in the facility’s new official name as the Atlantic Union Bank Center.
 
In addition to S.B. Ballard as general contractor, Moseley Architects worked in collaboration with Populous on the facility design process. Anthony James Partners designed the technology infrastructure of the building while Advent took the lead on graphic design elements. The completed building includes two primary sections with a 8,500-seat event venue as well as a comprehensive basketball program area, designed to maximize student-athlete success across all aspects of the collegiate experience. The project also included construction of a 1,500-car parking deck, which officially opened in the Fall of 2019.