John M. Parker Agricultural Coliseum
John M. Parker Agricultural Coliseum
The John M. Parker Agricultural Coliseum, also known as the John M. Parker Agricultural Center, is a multi-purpose arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It currently seats 6,756 people and can hold up to 12,000 at its peak. The arena is owned by Louisiana State University (LSU) and operated by the LSU Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter).
The coliseum opened in 1937 and was built by the Works Progress Administration. It was designed by architect Edward F. Neild. It has hosted a variety of events, including horse shows, rodeos, livestock shows, and concerts, and today it mainly serves agricultural events for LSU’s AgCenter and 4-H programs.
History with LSU sports: It was the primary home of the LSU Tigers men’s basketball team from 1937 to 1971. The 1938 Southeastern Conference (SEC) men’s basketball tournament was held there, and in the 1950s it became the team’s sole home court. In the 1960s, the era of Pete Maravich brought major attention to the program, which helped lead to the construction of the LSU Assembly Center (now the Pete Maravich Assembly Center). The last LSU basketball season in the coliseum was 1970–71, with a final win over Auburn on February 15, 1971.
LSU’s boxing teams also used Parker Coliseum, along with the Huey P. Long Field House. The 1949 LSU boxing team went undefeated in the regular season and won the national title after a win in Parker Coliseum.
Today the building mostly hosts agricultural events, rodeos, horse shows, livestock shows, and 4-H activities. It is also the site for Dance Marathon at LSU, the university’s unique program held in an agricultural center. A note of pop culture: rodeo scenes for the film Dallas Buyers Club were shot at Parker Coliseum.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:02 (CET).