Back in the Building - Elvis Tribute Mabee Center Tulsa

Mabee Center is a multi-purpose arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The venue is situated on the campus of Oral Roberts University, with a seating capacity of 11,300. The center opened for the public in 1972, with the architecture of the building designed by architect Frank Wallace. He designed several other of the ORU campus buildings. The venue carries the name of the famous Tulsa oilman John Mabee. His foundation donated about $1 million when the center was constructed. The Mabee Center serves as a home to the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles women and men basketball teams. Until the BOK Center was built, the Mabee Center was the largest arena.

This 105,000 square foot facility is designed to suit every need, no matter the event. The addition of the Conference & Banquet Center to the venue served as an extra space to host anything from small breakouts to meetings and large-scale banquets. There is an adjacent building known as “Baby Mabee.” It is smaller but similar in shape and houses a television production studio.

Mabee Center served as a host to the five NCAA men’s first-round or regional tournaments (1974, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1985), NAIA national men’s basketball championship (1994–1998), and two Midwestern City Conference (now Horizon League) men’s basketball conference tournaments (1982, 1985). A soundboard recording of Elvis Presley’s first tour show of 1974 was made at the venue and later released as part of the Follow That Dream release entitled “Elvis - Sold Out!”