About The Ted Constant Convocation Center

The dream of developing a 75-acre University village became a reality on June 19, 1999 when Old Dominion University broke ground for the first time for the new Ted Constant Convocation Center. Virginia Beach resident, Theodore F. Constant, founder of the Norfolk Beverage Co., made a $5 million donation to the university to support their new venture. After announcing Constant’s gift, President James V. Koch proposed that the Board of Visitors name the village’s center the Ted Constant Convocation Center.

The Constant Center is the cornerstone in the University Village project, a 75-acre development that will also feature a shopping center, restaurants, theaters, offices, research labs and residences with high-tech connections to the campus.

Designed by the architectural team Moseley/Rosetti, one of the leading sports facility designers in the nation and a leading multidiscipline firm, the center is approximately 215,000 square feet. It features 7,319 fixed seats in the lower bowl, 862 upper club/priority seats and sixteen luxury box suites. Additional seating on the arena floor can take the capacity to 10,000 for such events as commencement and concerts.

The construction of the facility, was financed entirely by student fees, corporate partnerships and private funds. The center opened on October 25, 2002 and is the new home of the Monarch’s and Lady Monarch’s Basketball programs.

Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com), the fastest growing firm in the public assembly facility management field with more than 70 facilities throughout the United States and Canada, manages the Ted Constant Convocation Center. The Philadelphia-based company is part of one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies, Comcast-Spectacor, which also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League, Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, a regional sports programming network, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, and Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company and 3601 Creative Group, a full-service in-house advertising agency. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10 nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC. 

“Our goal is to provide something for everyone in the Hampton Roads community at the Ted Constant Convocation Center,” said Global Spectrum’s Doug Higgons, Constant Center’s General Manager.

The 2008-2009 season was a great success as the “Ted” invited back the Harlem Globetrotters, Sesame Street Live, The Doodlebops, Blue Man Group and Allison Krauss, as well as bringing in several newcomers such as Michael Buble and Bob Dylan.  The Constant Center is also home to Old Dominion University Monarch and Lady Monarch basketball, and has been selected three times to host rounds of the Women’s NCAA tournament. The 2009-2010 season will be another great year as we look to bring back many of our great performers, as well as many new surprises!