Wisconsin Badgers at Northern Iowa Panthers Wrestling McLeod Center Cedar Falls

The McLeod Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The facility is exactly situated on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). The venue broke ground on October 9, 2004, and it was inaugurated for the local public on November 18, 2006. The total construction cost of the entire project was $26 million. The arena has a seating capacity of 7,018. It is owned and operated by the University of Northern Iowa. HLKB Architecture and Crawford Architects did the architecture of the building. The arena currently serves as the home field to the UNI Panthers (NCAA DI). A volleyball game against Bradley accompanied the opening ceremony of the venue.

The McLeod Center was built to replace the UNI-Dome, which served as the home facility to the university’s basketball teams. Since its inception, the venue has had a significant positive economic impact on the university. On an annual basis, the arena brings in $20–25 million, and the attendance of basketball games is doubled. Almost 400,000 visitors arrive at the venue every year. The arena is also known for serving as a host to commencement ceremonies throughout the year. It is also used for receptions upon request. The team was undefeated at the McLeod Center during the 2009-2010, 2014-2015, and 2019-2020 men’s basketball seasons.

Some of the other notable events at the McLeod Center include the 14th Dalai Lama on May 18, 2010, Bob Dylan’s concert on October 24, 2010, and some more. Artists who have performed at the arena include The All-American Rejects, Meat Loaf, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Rodney Atkins, Gloriana, and Alan Jackson.