New Auburn basketball arena will have 'wow' factor

[AUChizad]

http://auburnundercover.com/news/articles/2009/7/10/new-auburn-basketball-arena-will-have-wow-factor

New Auburn basketball arena will have 'wow' factor

By Phillip Marshall, Senior Writer
Posted Jul 10, 2009
Copyright © 2009 AuburnUndercover.com


Randy Byars oversees arena construction project/Phillip Marshall

AUBURN – The most expensive single athletic facility project ever undertaken in the state of Alabama is starting to look more like a basketball arena and not just a construction site.

Thursday, Randy Byars, director of athletic facility planning, gave reporters a tour of the arena that is scheduled to be ready for use in July 2010.

The arena will seat some 9,600 fans, all close to the court. There will be a state-of-the-art scoreboard hanging at midcourt. The graphics, the design and amenities, Byars said, will set the as-yet unnamed arena apart.

“You will walk in and go ‘Wow!’ “ Byars said. “You walk into some facilities in the SEC and you might go ‘Wow’ because they are huge. They are just big arenas. This one will be ‘wow’ because of what we’ve done to make it unique.”

The original budget for the arena was $92 million. It will come in substantially under budget, Byars said, at almost $86 million. The savings allowed some things to be added that would otherwise have been put off until later.

Construction has begun on practice facilities that are part of the project.

Seats are scheduled to be installed in November and the playing court in December. Students will occupy 1,500 seats at courtside on three sides of the arena. Non-student seats will be cushioned with chair backs. They’ll be blue on the lower level, orange on the middle level and blue on the upper level.

Men’s and women’s rooms and coaches offices will be state-of-the art with amenities, Byars said, that are found few other places.

Byars said $450,000 was set aside for graphics. There will be large graphics depicting the histories of Alumni Gym, The Sports Arena and Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum, the three venues in which Auburn basketball has competed.

On the outside west wall, the Auburn Creed is inscribed.

The Lovelace Museum and Hall of Honor, formerly at the football complex, will be reborn at the new arena.

“It’ll be open,” Byars said. “You’ll be able to get into it from different areas. You can go from out of your seat, from the general public entrance. When you come in the main entrance, you’ll see it right there.”

The arena sits next to the University Village complex, which is scheduled to open this fall. Holders of the 12 luxury suites will have a view of Jordan-Hare Stadium and Plainsman Park and will be able to use those suites for football games.

The scheduled completion date is July 14, 2010. Byars said he expects it to be finished earlier. The Auburn men’s and women’s basketball teams will vacate Beard-Eaves after the coming season is over.

[Snaggletiger]

I was up at War Eagle Days 3 weeks ago and it is really taking shape.  I keep saying that if and when they ever complete all the construction that's literally been going on for 15-20 years, an already beautiful campus is going to be incredible. I went up on top of Haley Center for the first time since I was in school. (Didn't see any Mastadons roaming the Plains) The view was ausome.  That place has changed so much it just blows my mind.

[DnATL]

For as much as they are spending, they damn well better get some "wow factor"

[wesfau2]

Can this be accurate?

The most expensive single athletic facility project ever undertaken in the state of Alabama

[DnATL]

Can this be accurate?

Yes - for comparison, each of the endzone upper deck expansions over in turdtown were in the $50M range, and the concourse renovation / east upper deck extension at Jordan-Hare a few years ago was around the mid $20s.

[Godfather]

At least we will look good whilst sucking!

[Kaos]

You know what would make me go "wow"? 

A good basketball team.  One that didn't take five years to scrape up an NIT invite.  That would do it. 

Fuck a scoreboard. Fuck dry ice smoke. Fuck electronic wizardry.  How about a cohesive offensive strategy and some fundamental defense?  That would impress me a hell of a lot more than a laser that draws tiger eyes at center court during the introductions. 

[Godfather]

You know what would make me go "wow"? 

A good basketball team.  One that didn't take five years to scrape up an NIT invite.  That would do it. 

Fuck a scoreboard. Fuck dry ice smoke. Fuck electronic wizardry.  How about a cohesive offensive strategy and some fundamental defense?  That would impress me a hell of a lot more than a laser that draws tiger eyes at center court during the introductions. 

HEY...get your own material!

[wesfau2]

You know what would make me go "wow"? 

A good basketball team.  One that didn't take five years to scrape up an NIT invite.  That would do it. 

Fuck a scoreboard. Fuck dry ice smoke. Fuck electronic wizardry.  How about a cohesive offensive strategy and some fundamental defense?  That would impress me a hell of a lot more than a laser that draws tiger eyes at center court during the introductions. 

I agree, to a point.  Do you, though, deny that the abysmal facilities at Auburn have, in the past decade or more, hindered the recruiting efforts of all the men who have called the HC job their own?

And would you, then, further deny that recruiting (especially in a numbers-driven sport like Bball) has a direct impact on the next year's team?

[Kaos]

I agree, to a point.  Do you, though, deny that the abysmal facilities at Auburn have, in the past decade or more, hindered the recruiting efforts of all the men who have called the HC job their own?

And would you, then, further deny that recruiting (especially in a numbers-driven sport like Bball) has a direct impact on the next year's team?

I do deny it, yes.  Coaches have gone into far worse shitholes and produced winners. 

I do not deny that recruiting helps, but you know what will draw recruits more than brick and mortar?  A team that does not shoot bricks or drop mortar rounds on its own head. 

Win and you will get recruits.  When you win, your players get looks in the NBA.  What's the sole goal for 90% of the kids playing college basketball?  Make it to the NBA.

I like Lebo.  But we've been through this.  He's not the guy.

[Godfather]

I agree with Kaos here, if you win kids will come no matter the facilities.  I have been to the O'Connell Center, it is not a Taj Mahal when compared to Beard Eaves.

[AUChizad]

Chicken or egg. It doesn't help to push the cycle into motion.

[Jumbo]

I agree with Kaos here, if you win kids will come no matter the facilities.  I have been to the O'Connell Center, it is not a Taj Mahal when compared to Beard Eaves.

Brand new is a great cover up for not winning.

[Saniflush]

Brand new is a great cover up for not winning.

Kaos will be marking this one down for after the football season.

[Jumbo]

Kaos will be marking this one down for after the football season.

I'm sure we'll hear about it.