alt=|thumb|The interior of Exactech Arena at the O'Connell Center
The Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, also known as the O'Dome, is a 10,500-seat
Florida Gators home arena
The Exactech Arena, which is owned by the University of Florida, is the home arena of several of the university's Florida Gators intercollegiate sports teams, including the men's and women's college basketball, gymnastics, swimming and diving, and volleyball teams. Following the 2016 renovation, on April 7, 2025, the Gators hosted a viewing party of the National Championship game which saw a crowd of 11,355 gather to witness the Gators defeating the Houston Cougars, 65–63, to win their third men's basketball title. This currently stands as the largest attendance in the arena post-renovation. The record for paid attendance post-renovation is 11,255, which was achieved on February 19, 2022 when the Gators defeated the 2nd-ranked Auburn Tigers.
Other uses
In addition to sports, the O'Connell Center regularly hosts many other events on campus. It is the largest concert venue in North Central Florida and has been the venue for a wide variety of performances, including a 2006 show by Gainesville native Tom Petty that aired on PBS's Soundstage TV series. Tom Petty's first ever show at the O'Connell Center was the year after it opened on October 7, 1981. Other events held at the facility include University of Florida graduation ceremonies, trade shows, career fairs, political rallies, public speeches, and various large banquets and private events.
Event Capacities
Concerts:
Full House: 7,000
In the Round: 10,500
Speaking Engagements:
thumb|The front of the O'Connell Center, photographed post-renovation in 2017
Half House (standard set): 2,500-3,500
Full House: 6,000-7,000
Athletics:
Men's Basketball: 10,136
Women's Basketball: 10,136
Volleyball: 10,136
Gymnastics: 9,251
Banquets:
Up to 1,200
Trade Shows:
Service Level: 110 (8 ft X 10 ft booths)
Concourse Level (non-Arena): 140 (8 ft X 10 ft booths)
Total Exhibition Booths: 250
By the early 1970s, Florida was the only school in the Southeastern Conference without a modern basketball facility, a factor that affected the recruiting of top players and held back the growth of its long-mediocre basketball program. Construction was delayed on both the Sun Dome and the O'Connell Center when cracks appeared in precast concrete support beams.
The first event at the Stephen C. O'Connell Student Activities Center (as it was originally known) was a Florida men's basketball game held on December 30, 1980. It was officially dedicated a few weeks later in January 1981.
Effect on basketball program
The new arena had an immediate positive effect on Florida's men's basketball program, and its first recruit was former coach Norm Sloan. Sloan had been Florida's coach in the 1960s but had left for North Carolina State, winning a national championship with the Wolfpack in 1974. He returned to Florida in 1980 and was thus the Gators' coach during the first season played in the new O'Connell Center. Sloan explained that he had "enjoyed it tremendously when I was here before, and I always felt that if Florida had the proper facility, I would consider coming back." Playing in their new arena under Sloan, the Gators consistently improved and eventually made their first NCAA tournament in 1987, setting the stage for greater success under subsequent coaches in the years to come.
Design and renovations
The O'Connell Center was envisioned as a competition and practice facility for most of the university's indoor sports programs, and this has been the case throughout its existence. The large () Exactech Arena is the core of the building, and is surrounded by a basketball practice court, a natatorium, as well as gymnastics practice facilities.
Original roof
When it first opened, the O'Connell Center had an inflatable Teflon roof and a system of blowers and air handlers that kept the inside air pressure high enough to hold the flexible roof in place. This higher air pressure was not noticeable inside of the facility, but opening a door to the outside would result in a rush of air escaping the building, so revolving doors were installed at each of the four main gates to lessen the loss of pressure as thousands of fans entered or exited.
2016 rebuild
In March 2016, the O'Connell Center began its most extensive renovation to date with a $64.5 million project that reconstructed the main arena with significant changes to its layout and design. Led by contractors from Brasfield & Gorrie, the entire interior of the arena was demolished to the foundation and rebuilt. In addition to a new seating bowl with a luxury club with box seats, a new hanging scoreboard with a large video screen was installed over the floor. Locker rooms and meeting rooms were also upgraded, swimming and gymnastics areas were revamped, and a "grand entrance" was built facing Ben Hill Griffin Stadium across the street, among many other improvements. When it reopened in December 2016, a naming rights deal with local medical firm Exactech changed the name of the main arena to the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.