The
Petersen Events Center (more commonly known as
"The Pete") is a 12,508-seat multi-purpose
arena on the campus of the
University of Pittsburgh in the
Oakland neighborhood of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It hosts the men's and women's
Pitt Panthers basketball teams. The arena is named for philanthropists John Petersen and his wife Gertrude, who donated $10 million ($ in 2016 dollars) for its construction. John Petersen, a Pitt alumnus, is a native of nearby
Erie, Pennsylvania and is the retired President and CEO of
Erie Insurance Group. The Petersen Events Center was winner of the 2003 Innovative Architecture & Design Honor Award from
Recreation Management magazine.