Tennessee State basketball's Gentry Center renovation: What's new?

The original lighting and sound system in Tennessee State’s historic Gentry Center was recently replaced. Let that sink in.

Gentry Center opened in 1980, and arena lighting and sound systems have come a long way since then.

Many other utilities and amenities have improved over the past 46 years, and TSU’s historic basketball and indoor track facility is catching up to the times with a two-phase renovation project that began in 2023.

The first phase for the 9,100-seat venue is complete. The next will begin later in 2026.

The first phase of renovations at Tennessee State’s Gentry Center were recently completed. The second and final phase will begin later in 2026.

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“When you come into our arena, we want it to be welcoming, but we also want our arena to tell the story of Tennessee State athletics, specifically those programs that compete inside the Gentry Center, meaning men’s and women’s basketball and track and field,” TSU athletic director Mikki Allen said.

Wall of Legends recognizes TSU basketball and track greats

Allen, in his sixth year leading TSU’s athletics, is happy with the brilliant new lighting and sound system but is particularly proud of the addition of the Wall of Legends, which stretches the full length of the building above the home side bleachers.

It includes large rectangular sections with the name and profile of legends: John Barnhill (basketball), Jean Patton (track), Wyomia Tyus (track), Edith McGuire (track), Chandra Cheeseborogh (track), Ralph Boston (track), Ed Temple (track), Wilma Rudolph (track), John McClendon (basketball), Dick Barnett (basketball), Leonard Robinson (basketball), Anthony Mason (basketball), Robert Covington (basketball), Carlos Rogers (basketball), Connie Swift (basketball), Sharon Jarrett (basketball), Ted McClain (basketball), and Carolyn Aldridge (basketball).

“Their names are up there for a reason because they did it big in this building,” Allen said.

Retired jerseys of all basketball and track athletes are being hung above the Wall of Legends.

Championship banners, many of which were tattered or yellowing, were taken down on the other side of the gym and replaced with new banners.

What was included in TSU’s Gentry Center renovations?

Entering Gentry Center, visitors will see a state-of-the-art Musco Sports Lighting System, a dramatic improvement over the old halogen system.

The recommended number of foot-candles for national television broadcasts are 100. TSU athletic director for facilities, Anthony Fallacaro, said Gentry Center was nowhere close to to that number with about 50 foot-candles in some places on the court.

“We would joke that there were sunny sides of the court; we weren’t even close to the foot-candle requirement,” Fallacaro said. “If they turned off, because they were halogen lights, it would take 30 minutes for them to turn back on. These lights now obviously meet the amount of foot-candles; they save more energy, and we’re able to do flashing color light shows.”

Along with the new public address system, which includes sound-dampening pads, improvements include:

A Connor playing court, used only once before for a WNBA All-Star game.
Four 18-by-10-foot video boards.
Six courtside scorer tables with two 5-by-10 foot video boards.
Updated signage on the track railing surrounding the court.
Two Spalding Renegade goals.
Four double-sided Daktronics shot clocks.
HVAC project with three new air handlers.
Sports medicine room updates.
Roof project.

The venue’s white walls were painted navy blue.

“The court we replaced was probably closer to paper than wood because it had been sanded, finished, and sealed so many times,” Fallacaro said. “Then we got the Renegade hoops, which are the industry standard. We did the video scoreboards next, then just put up these big boys (video boards) up top.”

What’s next for TSU’s Gentry Center?

The most significant remaining projects for Gentry Center include replacing the original seats in the stands on each side and the wooden bleachers at the ends of the court.

The blue seats will be replaced by black seats. The wood bleachers will be replaced by telescopic bleachers that allow for rapid transformation for events when retracted.

Allen said the old bleachers will be cut into sections and offered to fans.

“There’s a nostalgic element to the wood, and what we will do is figure out a way we can get a piece of Genrty back to our loyal fanbase,” Allen said. “That’s important.”

Allen said the ceiling may also be painted black, but that is not currently in the budget.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee State’s Gentry Center renovation: What’s new?

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