History: The Smith Center's Grand Opening

Posted Jan 19, 2026
Hollywood couldn’t have scripted the scene any better. It was Saturday, Jan. 18, 1986 and the North Carolina Tar Heels were hosting the Duke Blue Devils in the long anticipated unveiling of the Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, better known as the Dean Dome. Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski boasted rosters that included 11 future NBA players. (Inside Carolina)

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