University of Idaho To Create Lionel Hampton Center

On February 22, the University of Idaho and a host of national leaders gathered to launch what will become a comprehensive center for jazz artists and scholars – the Lionel Hampton Center. Jazz great Hampton was joined by U.S. Congressmen John Conyers (D-Mich.), University of Idaho President Bob Hoover for the unveiling of the project that will ensure the future of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, construct an education facility that includes a 1,200-seat concert hall, and provide scholarships and professorships at the University of Idaho’s Lionel Hampton School of Music. Former President George Bush and his wife Barbara, who are the center’s honorary co-chairs, joined the ceremony by video.

Originally Published February 23, 2001