Allen Arena

The facility has been host to events such as the annual Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation Concert, bringing talents such as Sinbad, Dana Carvey, and Jay Leno. Besides being the home of Lipscomb sports teams (the "Bisons"), it served as the home of the now-defunct Nashville franchise, the Nashville Rhythm, in the revived American Basketball Association. The Allen Arena opened on October 28, 2001, with an area-wide worship service called "In His Hands," with an audience of more than 5,000 people. The arena was named in honor of James C. and Linda Allen, the facility's primary benefactors. James Allen is a member of the board of trustees for the university and worked for the university at one time. The arena is primarily used for basketball and volleyball athletic events and is also used for daily chapel services and occasional concerts. The Arena and adjacent parking garage were the site for the school's old McQuiddy Gymnasium. Part of the McQuiddy Gym was retained along with the adjacent Student Activities Center (SAC). Yearwood Hall, a women's dormitory, was torn down for the construction of the arena. In the first Lipscomb Bison's home game at Allen Arena, Bison Clayton Osborne heaved a 65-foot shot from three-quarters of the court away. With no time left on the clock, the ball fell through the net, giving the Bisons a 75-74 victory over the North Texas Eagles.