Holt Arena History Walk
Like many revolutionary ideas, when Dubby Holt first proposed the idea for the Holt Arena it was dismissed as "harebrained" and "silly." However, that outlandish idea became one of the most recognizable stadiums ever constructed, and still stands tall 50 years later as a testament to the grit, ingenuity, and dedication of Idaho State Bengals.
Holt Arena (2)
Two Signs outside the North and South main doors
Pond Student Union
Just outside the sliding door, or down by the end of the ramp
Rendezvous
Outside the Diversity Resource Center
Red Hill
In front of the pillars, facing Holt Arena
Quad
Placed by the triangle planter near the Liberal Arts building
Technology Building
Placed near the crosswalk in the half circle alcove at the top of the hill on Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Turner Hall
Outside the main entrance of Turner Hall
Reed Gym
Outside the main entrance door
Fine Arts Building
Outside the quad entrance
Swanson Arch
Sign placed on the side of the arch for visibility on both sides
Institute Building
Placed outside the doors of the institute, midway between the library and the institute near the crosswalk
Holt Arena - A One of a Kind Stadium
Originally named the ASISU Minidome, this legendary building opened 50 years ago in 1970 at the north end of the ISU campus. Holt Arena is the oldest enclosed stadium on a college campus in the United States and the second-oldest in the nation overall. Only the Houston Astrodome, in Texas, completed in 1965, predates it.
Statistics
- 400 by 420 feet
- 194,400 square feet of floor space
- 12,000-seat football field
- 8,000-seat basketball court
Paid by the Students, for the Students
Milton W. ‘Dubby’ Holt was ISU's athletic director from 1967-1989. He began making his dream stadium a reality. He knew the only way the dome would come to life was with the support of ISU’s student body. As Dubby Holt said, Student Body President Mike King did an admirable job of explaining its value to Idaho State University students. Eventually, the students voted on the dome; and although it was extremely controversial, they levied an additional fee on their registration fees to support it. The student body passed a resolution to pay for the dome, 60 percent in favor and 40 percent against. They funded the dome by issuing revenue bonds in the amount of 2.8 million.
A Memorable and Incredible Coach
While Dubby Holt was the athletic director he also served as ISU’s boxing coach for 18 years. Holt is still considered to this day to be one of the best collegiate boxing coaches of all time. He believed in true teamwork both in and out of the ring.
“On the road, restaurants refused to serve the football team unless the black players left the building. In retaliation, the entire team left the restaurant. The boxing team experienced the same treatment. Holt recalled, “Spider Webb and the other boxers loaded up their plates at a buffet line in Salt Lake City. The restaurant manager approached me and said, ‘We don’t allow colored in here.’ I told him, ‘Well, if he doesn’t stay, we all won’t stay.’ We left the restaurant.” Afterwards, Holt entered a restaurant first and asked if anyone objected to black athletes’ eating there.
One of the Best Views in the Valley
The best view of the Holt Arena can be seen from the top of Red Hill. Originally, the majority of the community wanted the dome behind Red Hill, but seismic testing deemed that area unsafe. After 300 soil tests were conducted, the old airfield, and where Holt Arena now stands, was chosen as the location for the first collegiate covered dome in the world.
Dedicated Athlete, Before the Idea of the Dome
Before Dubby Holt became a coach or an athletic director, he attended ISU on an athletic scholarship as a two-sport standout, in football and track and field. At the Drake relays in Des Moines, Iowa, Holt raced Jesse Owens in the 100-hard dash and placed a close second. He missed his chance to earn a spot on the same Olympic Team when his Achilles tendon was punctured by another runner at the Long Beach Relays.
12,000 Seats Thanks to ISU Students and Staff
In order to reduce costs of construction for the Holt Arena, ISU used the manufacturer, Krueger Metal Products of Wisconsin, to make the shells of the chairs and students and staff installed the seats for $2 an hour. 12,000 colorful seats are still proudly used thanks to ISU students and staff.
Holt Arena Supports in Times of Crisis
The Holt Arena has offered a helping hand to the Pocatello/Chubbuck community many times in the past 50 years. The American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter in ISU's Holt Arena for evacuees of the Gibson Jack and Mink Creek areas when citizens' homes were affected by wildfires.
Holt’s Record Still Stands
When Dubby Holt was on ISU’s football team in 1937 he set a 88-yard football punt return record for the school that has yet to be broken.
Big Time Artists that Performed in the Holt Arena
Throughout the decades the Holt Arena was used as a concert stadium for big time artists such as Neil Diamond, Fleetwood Mac, Hootie & the Blowfish, Shania Twain and Bob Dylan. Audiences came from all over the area to attend these packed-house concerts.
Holt Arena Congratulates its First Graduating Class
May 29 was the first graduation held in Holt Arena. Approximately 950 students received diplomas and certificates with friends and family filling the stadium seats. Since then, commencement has been held in Holt Arena, except for the 2019 commencement, which was held by other means due to the COVID-19 virus.
The Largest Free-Falling Flag in the United States
The American flag that is displayed in the Holt Arena is the largest free-falling flag displayed in the United States and it continues to thrill thousands as it is unfurled at events held in the Arena. The flag was handmade by Relief Society ladies from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Women from the religious organization) during a dance festival in 1975.