Preparing to say farewell to Hofheinz Pavilion

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The University of Houston is planning a special farewell to Hofheinz Pavilion.

The school will hold a series of events before, during and after Sunday's 3 p.m. regular season finale against East Carolina.

Hunter Yurachek, UH's vice president for intercollegiate athletics, said the goal is to give the arena -- which since opening in 1969 has "a rich history of basketball" as home to the Phi Slama Jama dynasty -- a proper sendoff. A $60 million renovation will begin immediately after the season and the arena will reopen as the Fertitta Center for the 2018-19 season.

"What this building has seen from a basketball standpoint we want to close it the right way," Yurachek said. "This needs to be a packed house (Sunday) and close it the right way."

The highlight of the final ceremonies will come at the end of Sunday's game, when a current player will make a basket on one end of the court and the ball will then be passed from the current team to a group of alumni.

"A to-be-determined former Houston basketball star" will make the final basket in the arena's history, Yurachek said. Exactly which former player will take the final shot has not been finalized, although Hakeem (then Akeem) Olajuwon or Clyde Drexler are considered the likely choices.

Afterward UH board of regents chairman Tilman Fertitta, whose $20 million gift will go toward the renovation and naming rights for the new arena, will take the ball and walk up a section of steps and out of the building.

Legendary University of Houston basketball coach Guy V. Lewis is wheeled off of the court named in his honor at Hofheinz Pavilion following a press event on Tuesday, April 9, 2013, in Houston. Lewis, who won nearly 600 games and led the University of Houston to five Final Four appearances, was officially selected for enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday. less Legendary University of Houston basketball coach Guy V. Lewis is wheeled off of the court named in his honor at Hofheinz Pavilion following a press event on Tuesday, April 9, 2013, in Houston. Lewis, who won ... more Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Preparing to say farewell to Hofheinz Pavilion 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

"We will bring that ball back when we open the building up as the Fertitta Center in November 2018 so that the spirit of Hofheinz Pavilion will always be in the Fertitta Center," Yurachek said.

A list of alumni to commit to the closing ceremony has not been finalized. Yurachek said the school has reached out to "every player we have a phone, email and contact information for."

"We hope they will come back and be a part in this closing ceremony for Hofheinz Pavilion," Yurachek said.

Also part of the closing ceremonies, the family of late Harris County Judge Roy Hofheinz, the namesake of the building who contributed $1.5 million for its construction, will present a game ball to begin the game.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at halftime.