Matthews Arena to Be Demolished, Making Way for New Recreation Complex

Matthews Arena at Northeastern University in Boston will be demolished after 115 years of operation to make way for a 310,000-square-foot multipurpose athletics and recreation complex. Plans for deconstruction are set to begin after the last event scheduled at the arena on Saturday, Dec. 13, with demolition taking place in February and lasting approximately two to three months.

The Huskies played their final basketball game at Matthews last month, and the final women's hockey game was Saturday, Dec. 6, against Boston College. The Northeastern men's hockey team hosts Boston University at 7 p.m. for the final showing at Matthews.

The new multi-story facility that will take its place is billed as Northeastern's largest indoor gathering space. It will include an additional 54,000 square feet for recreational use, including for ceremonies, concerts, and other events. According to a Northeastern University announcement, the facility will host a Division I athletics arena seating 4,050 for hockey and 5,300 for basketball, as well as training facilities. It is slated to open in 2028.

During construction, the university hockey teams will play at alternative local venues, including Boston University, Harvard, Bentley, and UMass Lowell. The basketball teams will use the Cabot Physical Education Center on the Boston campus.

According to a Boston Globe report, the multipurpose athletics hall has served the community for more than 115 years. The Bruins and Celtics — created during the winters of 1924-1925 and 1946-1947, respectively — both played their first home games in the facility near Symphony Hall and Huntington Avenue.

Several notable figures in American history have also attended events at Matthews Arena over the years. Teddy Roosevelt spoke at a presidential rally there in 1912. Two months after his historic flight from New York to Paris, Charles Lindbergh was celebrated at the Arena in July 1927. President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke there while running for his first term of office in 1932. Accompanied by Admiral Chester Nimitz, congressional candidate John F. Kennedy appeared at an Arena veterans rally in 1946.

John Fish, chairman and CEO of Suffolk Construction, is overseeing construction of the new facility and the demolition of Matthews Arena.