The C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum — home to Ole Miss basketball games, graduation ceremonies, class registration and concerts for five decades — will be razed, with demolition tentatively planned to begin this summer.
The University of Mississippi announced the demolition on Tuesday in a press release that listed additional upcoming construction projects and others already underway.
These projects include construction of a 1,379-space parking garage in the northwest part of campus, scheduled for completion in fall 2026; two new on-campus student housing facilities, the first expected to open in fall 2027; an expansion to Rebel Market in Johnson Commons in 2026; and construction of an Early Learning and Evaluation Center at the South Oxford Center, expected to be completed in fall 2027.
The coliseum site will be used for surface parking while the university determines a long-term use for the area.
The final Ole Miss Basketball game at the coliseum, known as the Tad Pad, will be on Friday, Nov. 14, when the men’s team will host CSU Bakersfield.
“The university’s commitment to the thoughtful development of our campus includes investing in new construction, as well as the strategic repurposing of existing structures and areas to ensure the campus evolves in ways that support academic excellence and an exceptional student experience,” the university’s announcement said.
Head coach of Ole Miss Men’s Basketball Chris Beard encouraged fans to attend the final Tad Pad game at a Monday press conference.
“We welcome everybody out. We’ve had a couple of great crowds our first two throwback games,” Beard said. “It’s my understanding this will be the last basketball game ever in the event, so we’re going to try to play well and show great respect to those who came before us. We’re really excited to get coach Barnes and his wife back to Oxford and show them the respect and love they deserve.”
The team will honor former Ole Miss basketball player and head coach Rob Barnes at the game.
“The (throwback) game’s been great to us,” Beard said on Monday. “To honor coach (Rob) Evans the first year was special. Coach (Bob) Weltlich last year. Next Friday night we’ll honor coach Barnes, one of the best coaches that really ever coached in the SEC. He had NCAA Tournament teams here. I know he’s super appreciative of coming back. He’s excited, and so are we.”
The C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum, originally called “Rebel Coliseum,” opened on Feb. 21, 1966. In 1972, it was named after former athletic director Claude M. “Tad” Smith.
In addition to being home to the Ole Miss men’s and women’s basketball teams for five decades, the Tad Pad held volleyball games and practices when the Gilliom Center was undergoing renovations in 2016-17.
The basketball teams ceased playing regular season games in the Tad Pad in January 2016 after relocating to The Sandy and John Black Pavilion.
The Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team held its final game in the Tad Pad on Jan. 3, 2016, with a victory over Vanderbilt, 55-52.
Former Ole Miss Men’s Basketball player Zach Graham (2007-11) spoke about the C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum in a 2023 interview with The Daily Mississippian.
“The Tad Pad was one of the hardest places in the SEC for teams to play on the road,” Graham said. “A lot of big wins in there. I walked into the Tad Pad as an 18-year-old kid and walked out as a 22-year-old young man. So, Oxford and the Tad Pad will always have a special place in my heart.”
While throwback games in the Tad Pad have been a hit among the Rebel basketball fans in recent years, some students believe the existing structure would better serve them as parking spaces.
“Last year, I went to the game in the Tad Pad and it was really fun,” sophomore integrated marketing communications major Leah McMahon said. “It is kind of an eyesore, but I think the parking lot is good because we need more parking. (Parking) is getting really bad.”
Sophomore banking and finance major Roman Brown agreed.
“Why not tear it down? We definitely need more space,” Brown said. “The university is getting bigger and bigger each year.”
Sophomore integrated marketing communications major Bridges McGowen does not agree with the decision to demolish the C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum, but she understands the need for more parking.
“As someone who had to park 20 minutes away from my dorm last semester because of the parking situation, I definitely understand it is necessary,” McGowen said. “I don’t know if the right way to do it would be to destroy something historical that means so much. They should take advantage of more open spaces on campus.”
Akayla Hughes contributed reporting.
