The Moody Center in Austin is finally opening its doors to the public tonight, with a show by John Mayer. The new arena will seat more than 15-thousannd people for events like concerts, University of Texas at Austin basketball and graduations. The center is located on the eastern edge of the UT campus. It took two-and-a-half years and more than $375 million to build. It will replace the now 42-year-old Frank Erwin Center.
Yesterday, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the venue, officials, including actor and UT Minister of Culture Matthew McConaughey spoke about what it took to complete the project. Wearing a burnt-orange suit and slacks, McConaughey even had a song prepared for the opening of “The Mood,” as the arena has been nicknamed.
“Are you ready to bless ‘The Mood?'” McConaughey said to attendees. “Thank you Erwin Center. The memories we have there, we’re ready bringing over here. But it’s time to turn the page. Let’s keep writing the book, let’s bless The Mood. Hook ‘em. Thank you Austin.”
As for the Erwin Center, it will be demolished to make way for additional construction of the Dell Medical Center, the teaching hospital attached to the university of Texas. No date for the demolition has been publicly released yet.
