When Southern Utah University's 5,300-seat Centrum was completed in it was hoped the state-of-the art facility would push the Thunderbirds to the highest levels of collegiate sports.

Clearly, those hopes are being fullfilled.

The Centrum was a key factor in SUU's jump to the NCAA Division I ranks in 1988 and played a large role in Southern Utah's bid to join the Mid-Continent Conference. Since opening in November of 1985, the Centrum has attracted thousands of people to Cedar City for Thunderbird sports, concerts and numerous other athletic and performing arts events.

In 1988 and again in 1996 the Utah Jazz called the Centrum home for fall training camp and each year the Centrum is the centerpiece venue for the Utah Summer Games.

The facility which covers six acres and cost just over $8 million to build is part of the Sharwan Smith Center, which houses the SUU Bookstore, Grand Ballroom, food services, and all of the student services offices. The concourse of the Centrum houses SUTV studios, the basketball offices, academic offices and numerous classrooms and art studios.