History
St. John Arena, designed by Ohio Stadium architect Howard Dwight Smith, opened in November 1956 and seated 13,276 for basketball. The Buckeyes won the 1960 national championship while playing there, and the women's team used it from 1965.
Basketball moved out in 1998. Demolition was announced in 2012, but in 2016 the university said it was unlikely in the foreseeable future, and the building now serves track and field and pre-game band events.
Why it matters: Ohio State's basketball home during its 1960 national championship era.
Timeline
- November 1956Opens[1]
St. John Arena opened.
- 1998Basketball moves[1]
Ohio State basketball moved out after the 1997-98 season.
- March 24, 2008NIT game[1]
Ohio State beat California in an NIT game at the arena en route to the 2008 NIT title.
- November 2012Demolition announced[1]
Demolition was announced, to be replaced by the Covelli Center.
- August 31, 2016Demolition shelved[1]
The university said the arena was unlikely to be demolished in the foreseeable future.
The site today
| Physical status | Standing, repurposed |
|---|---|
| Current use | Ohio State track and field facilities; marching band Skull Session before home football games[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball | NCAA · 1956–1998 |
|---|---|
| Ohio State Buckeyes women's basketball | NCAA · 1965–1998 |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Location | Columbus, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Basketball |
| Level | NCAA |
| Opened | November 1956[1] |
| Last used for sports | 1998[1] |
| Physical status | Standing, repurposed |
| Final capacity | 13,276[1] |
| Architect | Howard Dwight Smith[1] |
| Construction cost | About $4 million[1] |
Documented details
- Under coach Fred Taylor the Buckeyes won the 1960 national championship and five straight Big Ten titles while playing here.[1]
Sources
- St. John Arena, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, events, opened, teams
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Wikipedia lists men's basketball tenancy as 1956-1998 but also records a 2008 NIT game played at the arena.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.