Dec. 16, 2010
When UCLA launched the Pauley Pavilion Campaign of Champions on May 11, 2009, it signaled the beginning of the most important fundraising initiative in the recent history of Bruin Athletics. The plan to transform one of the nation’s most iconic facilities into a world-class athletic and cultural venue to serve UCLA and the greater Los Angeles community was one that had been several years in the making.
The $136 million transformation of Pauley Pavilion will consist of three main components: a grand main lobby and new concourse space to allow for more efficient fan navigation as well as more restrooms and concessions; a complete renovation of the seating bowl with an increased number of seats closer to the court and a high-definition state-of-the-art video scoreboard and LED system; and a new subterranean facility that will house new locker rooms, a film room, a student-athlete lounge, in addition to spaces dedicated to sports medicine and athletic performance.
When it opened in 1965 at a cost of $5.2 million, Pauley Pavilion was widely hailed as a standard-bearer for universities across the nation. Coach John Wooden called the opening of Pauley Pavilion the greatest thing to ever happen to him in his 27 years at UCLA. While Pauley is most commonly associated with UCLA basketball, it also serves as the home for volleyball and gymnastics. Although numerous championship banners hang in the arena’s rafters – 39 national titles have been won by teams that called Pauley home – the need for modern amenities for fans and student-athletes is critical.
A volunteer committee was established to help provide strategic input and related to the campaign. Among those appointed to the committee as Vice Chair was Matt Pauley, whose grandfather was the lead benefactor for the original building. Just as Edwin Pauley had led the way more than 40 years earlier, the Pauley family was once again at the forefront with a lead gift to Campaign of Champions that provided a significant jumpstart to the project.
The project broke ground on May 11, 2010, one year to the day after the public launch of the campaign. Construction is in full swing and the transformed Pauley Pavilion is scheduled to open in the fall of 2012.
About Shawn Heilbron:
Shawn Heilbron arrived at UCLA in June of 2006 after serving as Associate Athletic Director for External Relations at SMU in Dallas, Texas. In his current role as Associate Athletic Director For Development, Heilbron oversees Major Gifts, the Wooden Athletic Fund, Bruin Varsity Club, endowments, special events, sports specific fundraising and planned gifts.
During his tenure at SMU, Heilbron managed all external functions, including corporate sponsorships and ticket sales. In May of 2006, he secured a leadership gift of $5 million that enabled SMU to break ground on the Crum Basketball Center, a state-of-the-art practice facility that will also house new locker rooms and coaches' offices for men's and women's basketball. The Dallas native also negotiated a new 10-year multi-media rights partnership with ISP Sports that led to a substantial increase in revenue through its corporate partner program. In 2000, Heilbron engineered the marketing and sales efforts for the opening of Ford Stadium, leading to an increase in football season ticket sales from 2,200 the previous year to over 11,000.
Prior to joining the athletic department at SMU, Heilbron was responsible for generating corporate support through event table sales and sponsorships as the Associate Director for the SMU Athletic Forum and Doak Walker Award. The Athletic Forum is a sports luncheon series that generates more than $280,000 in annual revenue for SMU Athletics, while the Doak Walker Award is handed out annually to the nation's top collegiate running back.
A graduate of the University of Texas, Heilbron began his career in 1994 as Director of Public Relations for the Dallas Freeze of the Central Hockey League. He also spent two years as Communications and Marketing Manager for Pinnacle Trading Cards. Heilbron and his wife, Bevin, live in Los Angeles with their two sons, Asher and Ramsey, and daughter, Quinlan.
