TOP STORIES OF 2021: NO. 3: HPU opens Qubein Arena
Dec. 30—No. 3 of the top 10 local stories of 2021.
HIGH POINT — High Point University welcomed more guests from across the community and around the country this year after opening the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center on Sept. 24.
The 350,000-square-foot complex at the corner of E. Lexington Avenue and University Parkway provides a multipurpose, educational facility for academics, sporting events and entertainment.
The 4,500-seat arena is the new home for the HPU men's and women's basketball programs and a venue for concerts, speakers and many more events. The addition to HPU's campus will serve the surrounding community as well as students, according to HPU President Nido Qubein.
"This arena is about more than basketball," Qubein said. "It's a place for families to come together. It's one of the finest of its kind in the Triad and the state."
Opening the $170 million complex created 100 jobs, providing an economic boost to the community, Quebein said.
HPU's impact on the city already exceeds the financial boost of the more than 100,000 visitors it draws each year or its students' spending in local restaurants and business, Mayor Jay Wagner said. Wagner noted the university's effect not only on the city's economy but its intellectual vigor and vitality.
Dan Hauser, HPU athletics director, described the Qubein Center as the finest collegiate basketball arena in the nation. The Qubein Arena had an immediate impact on HPU's ability to recruit talent, Hauser said, and the facility is expected to transform the future of HPU's athletic department and student-athlete experience.
HPU students studying event management, sports management, hospitality management and more will gain real-world experience throughout the space.
The conference center inside the arena includes 2,500 seats and provides more event space with lighting, sound and video for state-of-the-art presentations. The space will also be used for growing undergraduate and graduate programs.
The adjoining Jana and Ken Kahn Hotel has 30 upscale guest rooms and serves as a real-world learning lab for students majoring in hospitality and event planning. The hotel also features Alo, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that is similar to 1924 Prime, a fine-dining learning lab on campus for HPU students.
The Kahn family donated $5 million to support the creation of the hotel.
In addition to their support for the hotel, the Kahn family created the endowed Kenneth F. and Jana S. Kahn Extraordinary Staff Award to honor HPU employees who provide dedicated service to the campus community and live out HPU's morals and values.
Qubein expressed gratitude for the Khan family's support to develop the Kahn Hotel.
"Their advocacy is creating an environment of learning for our students, a place to call home to our guests and propelling our university to new heights," Qubein said.
cingram@hpenews.com — 336-888-3534 — @HPEcinde
