Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86
Franklin Forbes Arena 220 Joseph E Lowery Blvd SW Atlanta, GA 30314
Year Opened: 1996
Capacity: 6,000
Fight On, Morehouse
Established in 1867, Morehouse College was founded in Augusta, Georgia for freedmen shortly following the end of the Civil War in 1865. The school would move to its current location in Atlanta in 1879. At the time it was called Atlanta Baptist Seminary, but the institution was renamed in 1913 in honor of Harry L. Morehouse, who was instrumental in the school’s growth.
Under the presidency of Dr. Benjamin Mays in the 1940s and well into the 1950s, a concerted focus was placed on academic excellence, character development, and social responsibility – these were the characteristics that went into developing "Morehouse Men". The most notable of the Morehouse Men, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a member of Morehouse’s Class of 1948. Morehouse has also produced leaders such as Maynard Jackson, the first Black mayor of Atlanta; Hamilton E. Holmes, who went on to desegregate the University of Georgia; and Howard Thurmond, who many saw as the father of the non-violent resistance movement. Morehouse also produced popular entertainers such as Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, and Killer Mike, as well as Olympic hero Edwin Moses.
Forbes Arena, home of Morehouse basketball, was initially used for preliminary rounds of basketball in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games; it was also home of the Atlanta Glory of the American Basketball League, as well as hosted a presidential visit by Barack Obama in 2018.
Athletics have long been an important part of the Morehouse College experience – the Maroon Tigers are charter members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference in NCAA’s Division II, where they have played since 1913.
Food & Beverage 1
A lone concession stand sits in the main lobby area. Options are not extensive but will do in a pinch. Items consist of hot dogs, popcorn with your choice of multiple powered toppings, chips, and candy. Beverages include bottled Coca-Cola products and PowerAde.
Atmosphere 3
Along with being the home of Morehouse basketball, Forbes Arena also houses the university’s Athletic and Physical Education departments. Forbes Arena was built as an extension of the Maroon Tigers previous home, Archer Hall.
The court itself, named in honor of Arthur McAfee, Jr., the winningest coach in Morehouse basketball history, uses a combination of stains to add a bit of customization to the floor. The areas inside the three-point arc use a traditional, blonde finish, while the rest of the court and the lane areas are a much more rich, brown color. The exterior of the playing area is surrounded with a Morehouse maroon stain, which allows the grain of the wood to show through. Above the maroon, tiger-striped “Morehouse M” at center court, a basic four-sided scoreboard displays time and score, while scoreboards also hang from opposite walls with the same information.
The basketball experience at Morehouse is a very traditional one. Cheerleaders line the baseline calling out cheers throughout the game. Timeouts in the game do not have much by way of entertainment, but there are a handful of on-court recognitions and tumbling passes by members of the cheer squad. Half time might see a 3-point shootout between a few student groups as well.
Neighborhood 4
Morehouse College is in a cluster of three other of Atlanta’s historically black colleges, with its all-woman’s counterpart Spelman College plus Clark-Atlanta University and Morris Brown College – collectively the area has been dubbed “Atlanta University Center”. Morehouse and Clark-Atlanta’s basketball venues are approximately a half mile apart, creating one passionate experience when the two meet up.
The area neighbors Atlanta’s Castleberry Hill, which has a concentration of restaurants and night life. With Morehouse’s location just outside of downtown Atlanta, and less than 2 miles from Centennial Olympic Park, there is a plethora of restaurants and entertainment options. One of the closest, Centennial Olympic Park, is home to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, and the Children’s Museum of Atlanta.
The University Center neighborhood of Atlanta, where Morehouse is located, is in a bit rougher part of the city, but Morehouse does take extensive measures to ensure the campus remains safe and secured.
Fans 3
Typical attendance numbers range from 700 to 800 for weekday games and get a boost to the neighborhood of 1,200 on weekends. If looking for a game with the most fan involvement, the matchup with neighboring Clark-Atlanta brings a much more enthusiastic fan experience.
Access 3
Morehouse’s campus is currently undergoing significant construction, resulting in limited vehicular access in some places that creates congestion in others. There is not much by way of parking in the immediate vicinity of Forbes Arena, but there are parking decks near Clark-Atlanta and near the center of Morehouse’s campus. Street parking is available on the southern and eastern sides of B.T. Harvey Stadium, Morehouse's football venue, which leaves only a short walk to Forbes Arena.
Despite the fact Atlanta does have a subway system, it does not come close enough to Morehouse’s campus to make it a viable option for getting to Forbes Arena. As long as the interstate is clear, however, the Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard exit from I-20 does provide direct access to the south side of the Morehouse campus.
Upon arrival tickets can be purchased from a window at the right side of the plaza area, with entry to the left. Fans enter into a long hallway on the second level of the building that brings fans into the gym’s split-level seating. However, given the smaller sized crowds here, most sit in the lower level of the courtside seating.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets run $15 and can be purchased at the door or beforehand, online. Online prices are subject to a nominal processing fee. There is free street parking, but if you are looking for a bit more of a secured parking situation in the parking decks, it runs $5 for 3 hours.
Extras 2
Banners from all of Morehouse’s SIAC championships and NCAA tournament appearances are displayed on the walls of Forbes Arena.
In the exterior hall there is a display recognizing the legacy of Coach Grady Brewer, while another display recognizes Harold Ellis, who was Morehouse’s only player to go on to play in the NBA. An extensive collection of trophies and memories from all of Morehouse’s athletic programs are also on display throughout the lobby.
Final Thoughts
The current basketball atmosphere at Morehouse might be down a bit, but it is still a quality, traditional, very straightforward basketball experience. The historical significance that surrounds Morehouse, the tradition of its athletics programs, and the campus itself help to amplify the importance of Morehouse, creating a feeling of walking amongst greatness as soon as you step foot on campus.
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