Celebrating 75 Years at the Florida Gym

2025

by Shelby Hodel & Alisha Katz, APR, MAMC

A look at the Florida Gym’s history and ongoing legacy that continues to inspire

Over the years, the Florida Gym has stood as a beacon of excellence, cultivating outstanding students and alumni who have become championship-winning coaches, Olympians and leading professionals across industries. In addition to its legacy of distinguished graduates, the Gym has hosted iconic figures, including U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy and legendary performers, including Johnny Cash, Elton John, the Beach Boys and Stevie Wonder, cementing its place as a cornerstone of UF history and culture.

Michael Murphy, the facility operation coordinator at the UF College of Health & Human Performance, has been dedicated to the building’s upkeep since 2007, ensuring the historic landmark remains a college, university and State of Florida gem.

“A lot of alums and people across the university still have ties to the Florida Gym because of those historical events,” Murphy said.

An Era of Growth

The origins of the gym date back to post-World War II. In the early 1940s, leadership at the college – then known as the UF College of Physical Education, Health and Athletics – recognized the need to accommodate the growing student body. Between 1942 and 1947, UF’s enrollment skyrocketed from 3,000 to 8,000 students.

The gym’s semi-Gothic design was initially conceived by university architect Rudolph Weaver but faced delays due to World War II. It was ultimately completed by architect Guy Fulton.

The building, complete with brick and limestone, crank-operated windows and bronze stairs, included offices, a windowed library, locker rooms, equipment rooms, a 200-seat theater for boxing and wrestling, six classrooms, a club room and the F-Club lounge for students awarded varsity monograms. The basement, now known as the ground floor, also housed UF’s sports publicity department. However, the building’s crown jewel was its gymnasium-auditorium, which supported commencements, dances, concerts and intercollegiate athletics.

The Grand Opening

At a cost of $1.6 million, the Florida Gym opened its doors on Oct. 21, 1949, earning the nickname “Alligator Alley.” The 6,500-seat arena, with a playing area of 106’ by 270,’ became the home of the Florida Gators basketball team. During commencements, the space could seat up to 9,000 attendees.

At the time, the building was one of the few colleges in the South designed to serve as a basketball arena, instructional gym and physical education space and an auditorium – all under one roof.

The grand opening was a momentous occasion featuring U.S. Vice President Alben W. Barkley, who was bestowed an honorary degree, as well as Florida Governors Fuller Warren and Millard Caldwell. The festivities culminated in a vibrant parade through downtown Gainesville, bringing the community together to commemorate this milestone.

A Time for Transformation

The gym’s inaugural intercollegiate basketball game took place on Dec. 3, 1949, between Florida and Mississippi State. During its first year, the gym hosted UF’s Military Ball, the Atlanta Symphony, pianists, commencement and seasonal balls. Additionally, students flocked to the Gym floor each semester for class registration, a tradition that continued for decades and is fondly looked back on by alumni.

As the gym transcended time through the golden age of the 1950s up through the swinging 60s, the building evolved into a multifunctional space. In 1986, the college changed its name to the College of Health and Human Performance and established the Center for Exercise Science. Ten years later, the college underwent a $10 million renovation where stands once filled with thunderous cheers from game spectators was repurposed into classrooms, labs and innovative spaces to accommodate the growing needs of a dynamic and expanding college.

Today, the college houses 3,000+ students, 150+ employees and 23,000+ alumni worldwide. As the college continues to grow and adapt, the gym remains a powerful symbol of its evolution and progress while preserving the foundation upon which it was built. Today, the gymnasium is used to host college-wide events, including D.K. Stanley Day and the college’s Homecoming Tailgate; sporting events; coursework and more.   

“To have been a part of the last 75 years has been truly an honor,” said Michael Reid, dean of the College of Health & Human Performance. “As more students begin their professional journey within the walls of the Florida Gym, I can’t help but think of the outstanding alumni who walked before them. When you enter through the lobby, you are met with a timeline on the wall. It is not only a symbol of progress but a symbol of possibility.”

Read more content from UF HHP’s Performance Magazine.