Weekend Debut For New Switzer Center

NORMAN, Okla. -- Six thousand square feet of Sooner football fan utopia is set to open this Saturday when the Switzer Center is once again made available to the public.

The Legends Lobby area, which has housed the football program's memorabilia since 1999, closed last April so that a $1 million dollar upgrade could occur. Over the summer, it was transformed into one of the nation's finest displays of college football, according to University of Oklahoma Athletics Director Joe Castiglione.

“We can't begin to describe how proud we are of the final product,” Castiglione said. “The most rewarding aspect of it is the fact that our coaches and players, both past and present, and our fans now have such a wonderful place to enjoy the overwhelming accomplishments of this program. For those who follow our program closely or for those who need an introduction, it is critically important for us to preserve and celebrate our history.”

Gifts from Aubrey K. McClendon and Carl B. Anderson III, funded the project, which impacted all three stories of the structure.

“Aubrey and Carl have made it possible for us to tell the story of our program in a beautiful and high-tech setting,” Castiglione said. “We have already shared with both of them our appreciation for their generosity, and will again later in a more formal setting. I know that our gratitude will be echoed by everyone who visits the exhibit.”

Little change occurred to the total number of square feet in the facility and some of the wood work and lighting was left in place, but the space was otherwise gutted and then rebuilt for the project. The two towers that once rose from the second to the third floor are no longer part of the exhibit.

The first floor continues to house a wall-sized mural and a sculpted bust of former Oklahoma coach great Barry Switzer, the man for whom the center is named. An addition to the first floor is a flat screen on the north wall that includes a moving video that welcomes visitors to Legends Lobby.

Championships and a program timeline, told through various coaching eras, highlight the second floor. The chronology of the Sooner football program begins on the north wall where the initial panel tells of the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889, the barbershop-beginning of football on campus and the origin of the Sooner nickname.

Here's a closer look at the second-floor highlights ...

The coaching eras begin with the legendary Bennie Owen on the north wall. As visitors work their way around the room, they will travel through time with other Oklahoma coaches like Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops. Video screens in these wall panels highlight specific coaching eras on a perpetual DVD.
The kiosks set in the middle of the room recognize the seven national championships. The cases include trophies and artifacts, as well as a capsule of each season and the pivotal game of each campaign.
Five other kiosks titled Bowl Supremacy take a special look at Oklahoma's trips to the Orange, Fiesta, Rose, Sugar and Cotton Bowls.
The ceiling mounts are replicas of the bowl program covers from Oklahoma's bowl games.

While the second floor concentrates primarily on team accomplishments, the third floor exhibit takes a closer look at the outstanding individual achievements of Sooner players. Here's a closer look at the third-floor highlights...

The four Heisman Trophies are featured in the main floor space. The trophies won by Billy Vessels, Steve Owens, Billy Sims and Jason White greet visitors as they first enter the area.
Directly south of the Heisman display is a case dedicated to other national awards. The bronze plates mounted on each side of the case list the major awards and Oklahoma's winners. The trophies featured in the case are representative of the awards won by Sooner players.
The eastern-most area displays the OU representatives who have been inducted into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame, and those who have achieved first-team Academic All-America status.
Displays on the north and south walls recognize all-conference and All-America players as well as those who have had careers in the professional ranks. Touch screens in these displays allow fans to look up information and highlights on specific players.
The ceiling mounts recognize OU record holders in various statistical categories.

Some of the special artifacts on display include a fund-raising brochure used for the original stadium construction, the ball used to score the first touchdown ever against Nebraska on Owen Field, a fan's megaphone from the 1930's, one of Bud Wilkinson's fedora hats, Joe Washington's silver shoes, championship rings presented to Sooner players and coaches, a windbreaker worn by Barry Switzer and a visor worn by Bob Stoops.

The main contractor for the project was 1220 exhibits of Nashville, Tenn.

“Joe Castiglione came to me two years ago and told me that he wanted a hall of fame that would represent the University of Oklahoma football program with respect and dignity,” said Craig Dunn, 1220's Vice President for Museum Services. “He challenged our group to provide a design and build a solution that would be the measuring stick for all others. He then spent two hours conveying the history of football at the University of Oklahoma so well that I was ready to suit up right then and there. I knew at that point that this would be a very special project not only for 1220 but for the University and the Sooner Nation.”

Design work for Legends Lobby was done by Gallagher and Associates from Bethesda, Md. General partner Terry Healy said his company had a lot in mind, including the fans, when his firm worked on the project.

“We developed Legends Lobby to capture not only the accomplishments of the football program over the past 100 years, but to also connect with the entire campus and the community,” he said. “The space provides a comfortable enjoyable exhibit experience for everyone and presents the rich heritage and priceless memories that the fans expect. There are very few exhibits in our nation that can profile all of the major bowl championships, seven national championships and four Heisman Winners. This truly will become a major destination on campus.“

Switzer Center In Brief:
Brochure (PDF Format)

Legends Lobby Hours
Opening Weekend: Saturday from 9 a.m.,-5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.,-3 p.m.
The regular hours for the facility will be Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m., to 5 p.m. On home game weekends only, the Friday closing time is extended to 6 p.m., and the facility also is open from 10 a.m., to 3 p.m., on Sunday.

Legends Lobby by the Numbers
6,000 Approximate square feet in the exhibit areas.
5,000 Approx. man hours in fabrication, installation.
3,040 Square feet of maple veneer.
2,624 Square feet of MDF plywood.
1,800 Linear feet of steel in handrail.
1,500 Linear feet of audio/visual cable.
900 Square yards of carpet.
875 Linear feet of wood trim.
720 Square feet of brick veneer.
648 Square feet of aluminum.
644 Photographs and images.
137 Artifacts (non-trophy/plaque).
136 Linear feet of metal handrail.
101 Trophies and plaques.
99 Pieces of glass.
64 Bronze plaques (wall mounted).
64 Hanging signs.
64 Large graphic panels.
34 Plexi-glass vitrines (wall mounted cases).
13 Audio/visual monitors.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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