In February 2021, the University System of Georgia approved plans for the new convocation center to be dedicated to former Georgia State senator and alumni Jack Hill, along with his wife, Ruth Ann, in recognition for his service to committees that helped expand the university's funding for facilities.[3] In May 2022, construction broke ground on 95,000 square feet (8,800 m2) of land located on the south-side of the university campus along the Veterans Memorial Parkway, serving as the centerpiece of the university's "South Campus" expansion.[4] The structure was built to accommodate basketball games and convocation events, as well as classrooms, faculty offices, and psychology labs to serve the university's sports medicine academia.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Hill Convocation Center is scheduled for December 4, 2024.[5] Following its opening, the Georgia Southern men's and women's basketball teams will finish their 2024–25 seasons playing at the Hill Convocation Center, despite starting their initial home games at Hanner Fieldhouse.
