Dean Smith Center
The Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center (commonly known as the Dean Smith Center, Smith Center, or the Dean Dome) is a multi-purpose arena in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, used primarily as the home for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels men's basketball team. It was established in 1982. Add Kenan Memorial Stadium, 0.5 mi away, to a visit.
A stadium & arena inside Chapel Hill
You can stay in Chapel Hill
Dean Smith Center is inside Chapel Hill, which has 20 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Sep and Oct
April, May, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 73–82°. When to go ↓
Established in 1982
Dean Smith Center dates from 1982. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
The weather by month
Every month near Dean Smith Center is set out below.
Dean Smith Center
The Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center (commonly known as the Dean Smith Center, Smith Center, or the Dean Dome) is a multi-purpose arena in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, used primarily as the home for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels men's basketball team. The university began to inquire about building a standalone arena for the men's basketball team beginning in the mid-1970s, but due to an ongoing university wide investigation, the fundraiser halted until its conclusion. In June 1980, the fundraising began with a goal of at least $30 million and a target completion date for the building of December 1984. It was initially planned to be called the Student Activities Center; however, after its announcement it began to be referred to as The Dean Dome and it was speculated it would be named for then coach Dean Smith.
- Type
- Stadium & arena
- Established
- 1982
- Opened
- 1986
- Wikipedia readers
- 13K a year
Overnight near Dean Smith Center
The nearest towns with places to stay are Chapel Hill (20) and Durham (81).
- 1Kenan Memorial Stadium
- 2Lenovo Center
- 3Carter–Finley Stadium
- 4Bennett Place State Historic Site
- 5WakeMed Soccer Park
- 6North Carolina Museum of Art
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Dean Smith Center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel Hill | in town | — | 20 18 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs | 63,565 | $614K | C |
| Durham | 10 mi northeast | 15 min | 81 77 hotels · 1 motel · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 305,561 | $393K | D |
| Raleigh | 23 mi east | 35 min | 138 122 hotels · 7 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins | 506,306 | $416K | D |
| Cary | 15 mi southeast | 20 min | 38 36 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 183,582 | $580K | B |
| Morrisville | 12 mi east | 20 min | 12 12 hotels | 32,466 | $519K | C |
| Carrboro | 3 mi northwest | 5 min | 3 2 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins | 20,962 | $539K | C |
| Apex | 15 mi southeast | 25 min | 10 9 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 80,419 | $576K | — |
| Governors Club | 4 mi south | 5 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B | 1,787 | $890K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Pair Dean Smith Center with these
Every place here is under 70 miles away.
1in town Stadium & arenaKenan Memorial Stadium
219 mi Stadium & arenaLenovo Center
319 mi Stadium & arenaCarter–Finley Stadium
410 mi LandmarkBennett Place State Historic Site
518 mi Stadium & arenaWakeMed Soccer Park
45 mi Zoo & aquariumNorth Carolina Zoo700K visitors a year
620 mi MuseumNorth Carolina Museum of Art
70 mi Stadium & arenaAllegacy Federal Credit Union StadiumPhoto credits
Kenan Memorial Stadium: Yeungb, CC BY 3.0 · Lenovo Center: Edward T. Funkhouser, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carter–Finley Stadium: SMaloney, CC BY 3.0 · Bennett Place State Historic Site: Ildar Sagdejev (Specious), CC BY-SA 4.0 · WakeMed Soccer Park: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · North Carolina Zoo: Diane Villa, CC BY-SA 4.0 · North Carolina Museum of Art: Justin Doub, CC BY 2.0 · Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium: BobHWS, CC BY-SA 3.0
A visit to Dean Smith Center: questions
Is Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill?
Yes. It’s inside Chapel Hill, NC.
When is the best time to visit Dean Smith Center?
April, May, September and October, with highs of 73–82°.
How far is Dean Smith Center from Greensboro?
About 46 miles west of Greensboro, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Dean Smith Center?
Raleigh-Durham (RDU), about 14 miles away.
Where should I stay near Dean Smith Center?
Durham (10 mi, 81 places to stay), Chapel Hill (in town, 20 places to stay) and Raleigh (23 mi, 138 places to stay).
Tips from people in Chapel Hill
Questions and tips go in Chapel Hill’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.