Featured Front Page Story

Auburn Athletic Complex

(Published in The Auburn Plainsman on October 19, 2006)

          The Auburn Athletic Complex was built almost twenty years ago on the corner of Samford Ave. and Donahue Dr. It has been the center of operations for Auburn football and ever since.

            Most of the 88,000 square foot building is closed to the public, but there are parts that anyone can see any time of the week. The Athletic Museum & Hall of Honor was named after Jonathan Bell Lovelace, a famous Auburn graduate from the early 1900’s.

            Lovelace organized Capital Research and Management Company in 1931. He prospered during the Great Depression while his company went on to become one of the world’s largest investment groups. It is in his memory that his descendents and corporate associates contributed to make the museum possible.

            The museum itself is over 5,000 square feet, having six total sections. The first section is called the Introductory Room. As you walk in, a projection screen on the wall plays a sixteen minute video highlighting the history of Auburn athletics.

            It shows off  memorabilia from the last century, which includes the Heisman Trophy that was given to Auburn in 1971. There are several artifacts from the first football game played against Georgia. The mascot display area is must see. This exhibit honors Aubie, while telling the background story behind the “War Eagle” battle cry.

           Visitors are supposed to move on to the History Room afterward. It features a timeline that starts in 1892, two interactive computer displays, and a locker for every varsity sport. Each one includes memorabilia, trophies, and photographs. Every sport has its own personal narrative upon pressing a button.

            The Traditions Room celebrates everything that is uniquely Auburn. There is replica of Toomer’s Corner complete with toilet paper and realistic backdrop. What Auburn Means to Me allows visitors to write down their favorite memories and watch others recollect theirs. Walk inside a replica of Toomer's Drug Store, while trying not to get chills while experiencing the middle of a Tiger Walk.

            Guests will then find themselves in the "endzone" of Jordan-Hare Stadium. This room is called Game Day. The replica of the field includes a full scale field goal post and a working scoreboard. Coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan’s practice golf-cart that he used throughout the 60’s and 70’s is on display. The walls in the are covered with history from almost every bowl game. There is even a six minute video celebrating all of the rituals that go along with the game day experience.

            Building the Dream is next, which is the biggest room in the museum. Featuring life-size dioramas that memorialize great moments in history. Forever known as “Bo over the Top,” a replica of Bo Jackson is frozen in mid-air as he is about to score the winning touchdown against Alabama in 1982. A crowd roars every few minutes.

            Charles Barkley, Vicki Orr, Frank Thomas, and Pat Dye among others have their own robotic replicas. Coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan even talks. Giving his Heisman-winning quarterback Pat Sullivan a pep talk. Others make a shooting motion or swing a bat. A full list of athletes who have or still are competing in the professional world of sports is on display. All of the Academic All-Americans to have graced the campus are proudly displayed nearby.

            Last but not least, there is the Awards & Successes corridor. It contains information on the many individuals to achieve success in their respective sport. As guests are about to leave, they will pass by a motion detecting video monitor that features Athletic Director David Housel thanking everyone for coming.

            Across from the museum is the Rane Reception Room. Besides being a lounge and continuation of the museum, media members can interview football coaches and players in there. The memorabilia and artifacts are put into showcases all around the room. In the middle of the room is another Heisman Trophy given to Auburn after Bo Jackson won in 1984.

            The museum is free and open to the public all week for seven to eight hours a day. The only exception is during football season when the museum will not be open on a Sunday after an away game. If it is home game, the museum closes when the game starts but reopens on Sunday.

           It is estimated that almost 80,000 people visit the athletic complex every year. Most take a break from tailgating on Saturday afternoons during the fall to see it.