Former DePaul University men’s basketball coach Ray Meyer and one of his former Blue Demon players, NBA forward Tyrone Corbin, will return to a DePaul basketball court Sept. 30 to dedicate the university’s new $13 million Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center.

The legendary 85-year-old coach will mark the opening of the building that honors him by sinking a basket during a 3:30 p.m. dedication ceremony on the third floor basketball court of the new facility, 2235 N. Sheffield Ave. Corbin, a 1985 DePaul graduate, will give a brief address about the benefits the new state-of-the-art fitness center offers students. DePaul officials, trustees, donors, athletic sponsors, students and neighborhood representatives will join Meyer and Corbin at the private dedication and a reception following it.

"It is a great honor that this building has been named for me," said the Hall of Fame coach. "I'm especially happy for the students at DePaul. The students really deserve this building."

Rev. John P. Minogue, C.M., DePaul’s president, said, "The Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center is a worthy tribute to a man whose legacy captured DePaul’s love for its students. This is the beginning of an extraordinary era for our students, who now will be able to stretch not only their minds, but just about every muscle in their bodies."

The four-level, 120,000-square-foot Lincoln Park facility opened its doors Sept. 1. It provides an expanded venue for intramural and club sports, wellness activities and fitness programs for students, staff, faculty and alumni. The university also plans to offer community sports and recreational summer camps.

Features of the new building include a six-lane, 25-yard swimming pool; a nearly 7,000-square-foot multi-purpose group fitness area including a studio for spinning; more than 12,000 square-feet of strength and conditioning equipment; four basketball courts called the Goldberg Family Courts; three racquetball courts; a 200-meter running track, a fitness testing area and locker rooms. A snack bar, instructional cooking area and lounge are among the center’s other amenities.

"With its outstanding programs and features, this facility offers our students one of the best campus fitness centers in the nation," said James R. Doyle, vice president for student affairs. "DePaul is in the forefront of a trend toward offering students a well-rounded educational experience that promotes both academic excellence and physical fitness."

The student community in Lincoln Park has tripled in the past 15 years, with almost 2,000 students living in residence halls and another 2,000 residing in neighborhood apartments. To enhance campus life for its growing student population and provide new resources for the community, DePaul has planned several new facilities for its Lincoln Park campus.

A $10-million Athletic Center is under construction at the northeast corner of Sheffield and Belden avenues. When it is completed in April, the facility will be dedicated to the practice, training and fitness of student athletes on DePaul’s 15 teams, including the Blue Demon men’s and women’s basketball teams. The women’s basketball and volleyball teams will compete on the facility’s 3,000- seat court. The new facility will replace the 43-year-old Alumni Hall, which will be torn down in May. In its place, the university will erect a 148,000-square-foot DePaul Student Center, tentatively slated to open in September 2002. A 518-car parking deck is under construction at 2330 N. Clifton Ave. and should be finished Nov. 15. Meanwhile, two new residence halls are being built at Fullerton and Clifton and Racine and Belden avenues, which will create 585 new beds by August 2000.

The Ray Meyer Fitness Center was designed by architects from Antunovich Associates and built by W.E. O'Neil construction.  The facility is managed by Centers L.L.C., a private company specializing in recreation center management.

Editor’s note: The event is closed to the public but open for press coverage.