Ole Miss to spend $6 million for new basketball arena
University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, will spend $6 million for the design of a new basketball arena.
The plan was approved by College Board of Mississippi. The arena would be built in the parking lot west of Vaught-Hemingway, subject to architects examination of site related issues. It will replace the 1967-built Tad Smith Coliseum which consists of 9,061-seats.
Los Angeles-based architecture and design firm AECOM has been hired by the university, and will be assisted by the Jackson firm of Cooke Douglass Farr Lemons.
The arena will include a 10,000-seat venue, an everyday dining hall for students, a 750-space garage, an athletic history museum, the Rebel Shop, and other facilities. Besides basketball, the arena can also host concerts, commencement and other student events.
Construction and timeline of the project are undisclosed. The University, which is planning to raise $70 million for the arena, has already raised $13.7 million in the form of gifts. The overall campaign goal is to raise $150 million.
