The wrecking ball continues to swing in Austin as the Frank Erwin Center, an icon of the city's cultural and sports scenes, sees its final days. Dubbed "The Drum", the facility has been the hub of countless memories since its opening in 1977. According to KVUE, the site is to become the new University of Texas at Austin Medical Center, in collaboration with the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Amidst the clatter of demolition, Austin residents are taking a moment to reminisce on the storied past of The Drum. "It's coming down per plan," Dan Cook, UT’s Executive Director of Planning, Design and Construction, stated in a recent interview. Meanwhile, Austin native and UT grad Christine Carter shared with KVUE her lifetime of experiences at the center. Recalling her earliest visits at age 7, Carter says, "As somebody who grew up in Austin it feels like home."
The Erwin Center's replacement, the Moody Center, inaugurated in April 2022, stands in for the demolished arena. Yet, as per a KXAN report, nostalgia clings to the remaining rafters and support beams—a stark contrast to the bustling crowds and roaring concerts that once filled the space. The demolition was set in motion by the UT System Board of Regents with an approved $25 million project in May 2023, with the anticipated completion having been pushed forward to mid-May, which ironically conflicts with an earlier UT spokesperson's estimate of September.
Christine Carter's testimonial to KVUE paints a picture of the Erwin Center's intimate place in the lives of many Austinites. She holds dear her memories of concerts and Lady Longhorn games, part of her time in the UT marching band. "Always going to be sad to see it go, just because it was a huge part of my life," Carter expressed, encapsulating the sentiment of countless others who are bidding a solemn farewell to The Drum.
The site's next chapter will unfold as the planned medical center takes shape, marking a new era for the University of Texas and the continuing transformation of the state's capital city.
