TheBand Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SLU sets Arena Groundbreaking Date Multipurpose Arena on schedule for opening in March 2008 July 6, 2006 ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University announced today that the groundbreaking ceremony for its new $80.5 million multipurpose Arena will take place at noon on Mon., Aug. 28, at the Arena site near Compton and I-64/Highway 40. Construction of the Arena complex will take 18-19 months with an opening in March of 2008. "I am very pleased to tell the St. Louis community that the beginning of this significant project is here," said University president Lawrence Biondi, S.J. "This Arena will be a beacon for Midtown St. Louis as well as further enriching our University campus life." In preparation for construction to begin, some site clearance, including the removal of tennis courts and a portion of the University-owned Grand Forest Apartments, will take place beginning over the next several weeks. Finalization of design and construction plans is being completed this summer, and construction will begin immediately after the groundbreaking ceremony. St. Louis-based Clayco has been selected to build the Arena complex and has been actively involved in preparing for the start of construction. The Arena complex is being designed by St. Louis-based Mackey Mitchell Associates and sports architects Sink Combs Dethlefs, based in Denver, Colo. The Arena complex includes a 10,600 seat Arena, which will be home to Billikens' men's and women's basketball games and a host of other events; an athletic practice facility, which will also host SLU women's volleyball games; and a three-story building that will house athletic department offices and support facilities. Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum has been selected to manage the Arena when it opens in 2008. "This is a truly momentous announcement for Saint Louis University and our athletic programs," said director of athletics Cheryl Levick. "A firm groundbreaking date will have an immediate impact on our recruiting efforts for men's and women's basketball as well as our other teams, which will also benefit from this outstanding facility." The University's board of trustees approved moving forward with the re-designed Arena project in February and approved moving forward with construction in May. The Arena will be funded through private fundraising, $8-million in TIF funding, and bonds, which will be paid off with revenues from the Arena. The Arena will host a variety of events, including concerts, family shows, trade shows, sporting events and commencements, and is expected to bring more than 400,000 people per year to Midtown St. Louis. More information about the Arena project can be found at arena.slu.edu. When Arena construction begins, the University will have the two largest construction projects in its history underway simultaneously. The $67 million Edward A. Doisy Research Center Building is under construction and scheduled for completion in the summer of 2007. An additional $13 million to renovate existing research facilities will bring the total Doisy Research Center project to $80 million. "These two significant projects again show Saint Louis University's commitment to the future of Midtown St. Louis," said Biondi. "Nationally, these projects, combined with our enrollment growth and significant increases in research and academic reputation, show that the University is continuing its forward momentum as one of the nation's leading higher education institutions." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 So should we schedule a Billikens.com field trip for the groundbreaking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenpais Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Great News! Does anyone know if the Tennis facility is moving somewhere else. Are there plans to build a new one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 "A firm groundbreaking date will have an immediate impact on our recruiting efforts for men's and women's basketball as well as our other teams, which will also benefit from this outstanding facility." Who writes this stuff, anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Well, there are going to be recruits in for on-campus visits around that time. Having actual groundbreaking to show them rather than a theoretical groundbreaking date might have a stronger impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billsboys Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 >Great News! Does anyone know if the Tennis facility is >moving somewhere else. Are there plans to build a new one? There is no plans to build a new tennis facility. The teams most likely will be back at Forest Park or Sunset! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 We have only been waiting three years for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STLfan Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 I've heard people out east don't know much about the midwest but I was reading a thread about our groundbreaking announcement on fordham's board and this quote left me shaking my head. "And what else is there to do in St. Louis in the winter? And how about Dayton for that matter? They've got a big place too. No knock on them as cities, but I haven't seen either on a top 10 "Night-life" list. Part of the reason we fail to draw well, is because we're competing with tens of thousands of other things to do in our own city." http://xsorbit31.com/users5/rams/index.php?topic=2989.0 Yes they have more things to compete with but they also have a population of 21 Million people. I guess when you have that many people living around you it's hard to respect a city with only 2.6 Million but we aren't exactly a small town with nothing to do either. http://www.demographia.com/db-usmet2000.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffster Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 This will be huge for recruiting!!! No doubt about it. Now all you can do is show a rectuit west pine and you can't even show them where they will play if Savis is being used. Now you'll show them the new arena, state of the are facitilites for weight lifting rehab etc etc.. This should help BS immmensely!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicCityBilliken Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveforVouk Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 Maybe the fans will provide a tidel wave of support and hurricane force cheers.....fun fact, the first live tv sporting event held in New Orleans was the Tulane "Green Wave" vs. the Tulsa "Golden Hurricane." I figured I would make an insensitive joke before Billikenmetz had the chance to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 I don't think this was in the release itself, but it you go to the SLU.edu and read the teaser for the story, it says that the groundbreaking is scheduled for the first day of school. And wow, it sounds like part of Ghetto Forest will be getting knocked down in the next few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlumniFan Posted July 8, 2006 Share Posted July 8, 2006 Hey, don't knock Grand Forest. I lived there for a year during which time I was mugged not once, but twice and my car was stolen. Ahhhh, the good old days.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseugnekillib Posted July 8, 2006 Share Posted July 8, 2006 David......."the embarrassment continues"..... Unbelievable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseugnekillib Posted July 8, 2006 Share Posted July 8, 2006 Griffster.....thanks for adding your opinion as the dad of an outstanding high school bball player! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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