Construction Continues on UConn’s New Basketball Arena

STORRS, Conn. — A new basketball court is in the works at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. The two-floor, 78,200-square-foot court will feature a new basketball Hall of Fame open to the public. Highlights of the Hall of Fame will include three men’s and eight women’s NCAA championship trophies.
The new court comes as a long-awaited reward for one of the best programs in the country, which has stayed among the top teams despite the lack of a practice facility. After two years of funding and an ever-increasing need for state-of-the-art, modern facilities, the university’s program is finally getting its wish.
Plans for the construction project includes two new practice courts for the men’s team and women’s team, new locker rooms, weight rooms, classrooms, an athletic health and training center and offices for the staff. The facility will be open 24/7, allowing athletes access to the court whenever they need it.
The final construction budget for the University of Connecticut’s new basketball facility was approved on Sept. 26. The university’s board of trustees set the budget at $33.3 million, which is approximately $300,000 more than was anticipated in the original budget proposal. UConn’s operating funds will provide about $231,300 for the project, with the rest stemming from a series of private donations.
Of the private donations, Peter and Pam Werth pledged the largest single gift ever presented to the university’s Division of Athletics, donating $4.5 million to the facility back in 2011. “We are proud to make this commitment to UConn and its outstanding basketball program,” the Werths said in a statement at the time of their donation. “UConn basketball is part of the fabric of our state, and we know that this facility will help the men’s and women’s teams be successful for years to come.” Other donors include Mark Shenkman, chair of the UConn Foundation Board of Directors, and his wife Rosalind. They contributed $2 million to the new facility.
Walter Manuel, athletic director for UConn, stated that the finished court is expected to be one of the best in the country. The teams’ hard work is paying off with the new state-of-the-art facility comparable to their history of championship successes, he explained.
This new budget does not include the cost of furniture, fixtures or equipment. These additional expenses are expected to increase the total cost of construction to about $40 million, which will be the absolute cap for the budget. Manuel expects to raise an additional $7 million to $8 million. “We’re about 75 to 80 percent there,” he said.
Kevin Ollie, the men’s basketball coach, explained that the new facility would help promote the school’s success and foster the continued success of the basketball program. While the team itself provides an incentive for prospective athletes to go to UConn, the prospect of a brand-new facility helps boost the university’s image.
Construction on the facility is currently ahead of schedule. Work on the facility began earlier this year and is expected to be complete by May 2014. The project team expects to open the facility to the basketball teams in the same month. Construction may be halted, however, with the impending threat of harsh Connecticut winters quickly approaching. The project team is currently working on erecting the frame of the building and enclosing it before harsh weather hits. They expect to work extensively on interior construction during the winter months.
The new basketball court will be located next to the existing Gampel Pavilion on Jim Calhoun Way — formerly Stadium Road. The road was renamed to honor the Hall of Fame ex-coach, who retired last year.