By Matthew Coleman and Justin Ganz
The Walter Pyramid has been a landmark on the Long Beach State campus and for the city of Long Beach for 30 years. One of the most unique venues in collegiate sports, the Pyramid is filled with a rich history.
On Nov. 30, 1994, the first event was held at the Pyramid, as Long Beach State’s men’s basketball defeated the University of Detroit in front of a sold-out crowd that was nationally televised on ESPN.
Senior Associate Athletics Director Mark Edrington discussed the excitement surrounding the opening night of the facility.
“Opening night at the Pyramid was as exciting as I had ever seen it at Long Beach State,” Edrington said. “Fans and supporters had only known games and events in the Gold Mine up until that point.”
LBSU men’s volleyball head coach Alan Knipe played in the Goldmine gym as a player on the 1991 National Championship team before coaching his National Championship teams in the Pyramid.
He discussed what it means to coach at such a historic venue like the Pyramid.
“It’s not only the right size, but it has an incredible uniqueness and home court advantage to us,” Knipe said. “The Pyramid’s size allows fans to be on top of the action for each match. It’s a big arena and it also allows our crowd to be really close to the court, which creates a great atmosphere for our matches.”
However, the structure itself has not withstood time gracefully. Several problems in recent years– with a primary problem in infrastructure leaks when it rains– make celebrating the iconic venue’s 30-year legacy difficult.
An article by Victor Lozano of the Long Beach Current (formerly the Daily 49er) in March of 2023 broke the news of a potential estimated cost of expected repairs for the Walter Pyramid.
“In 2021, we performed a feasibility study to understand the cost to replace the roof in its entirety as well as other related deferred maintenance items and the estimated cost came to over $55 million,” Joshua Cichuniec, the director of facilities management for Beach Building Services, had said.
Three years after the initial estimation, questions regarding the athletic department’s cost remain relevant.
Has LBSU Athletics directed any immediate funds towards short-term renovations that have helped lower the overall cost, or have moderate renovations raised the total funding for bigger solutions?
“The University has commissioned a new feasibility study to once again take a look at the impact/cost of major repairs or renovations,” Roger Kirk, associate athletics director for communications and broadcast, said.
For the last two academic school years, basketball games have shifted locations to the school’s previous gym, the Gold Mine, located in the kinesiology building. The size of the Gold Mine is comparable to a small high school gym.
“It’s really only with heavy rain across multiple days that a move is necessary, and we continue to work to make sure that… a shift to the Gold Mine impacts the quality of the experience for teams, officials and fans as little as possible,” Kirk said.
LBSU hosted the 2024 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship at the Pyramid last spring. External weather elements did not play any factor, leaving the athletic department satisfied with the building’s performance.
“[We were] very pleased,” Kirk said. “Some of the small repairs made to mitigate the leaks ending up on the main floor were very successful, and through most weather conditions, the Walter Pyramid remains a top facility.”
Long Beach State men’s volleyball senior outside hitter Nathan Harlan and Clarke Godbold both go for a dig against UCLA in the 2024 men’s volleyball National Championship game. This game was one of the many historic sporting events that the Pyramid has hosted in its 30-year existence. Photo credit: Naoki Gima
University administration has been clear and upfront with their stance on abandoning an arena so synonymous with the school and city of Long Beach.
“The Pyramid is part of our whole brand,” CSULB President Jane Close Conoley said in an interview with the Long Beach Current’s podcast “Teed Up” last semester.
“The Pyramid has always leaked, it’s not a new problem. It’s an unusual design and the HVCA system was never able to properly heat and cool. It’s a wonderful venue, we love it, but it’s always been a bit of a facilities challenge,” Scott Apel, CSULB vice president, had said.
At this time, there are no plans for any major refurbishment to the Walter Pyramid nor plans for relocation, but the school is working on a feasibility study to figure out what will become of this Long Beach landmark.
