The crown jewel of athletic facilities in the Palmetto State is on the horizon and the new arena at the University of South Carolina is scheduled to open in time for the 2002-03 season.
The 18,000-seat arena will be located two blocks away from the current Carolina Coliseum. The groundbreaking was last spring and construction began immediately for a target opening date of November, 2002.
The New Arena will …
- seat 18,000 for basketball.
- be the showcase facility in the Midlands of South Carolina.
- be the 10th-largest on-campus basketball facility in the United States and will be the fourth-largest basketball facility in the Southeastern Conference.
- attract big-time events, ranging from NCAA Basketball regionals to concerts … this in turn will have a positive impact on the local economy and will be a great public relations vehicle for Columbia and the state.
- bring in corporate dollars and generate interest among the business community with premium seating and executive suites.
- be an excellent recruiting tool for the University, not only for its sports programs, but for the total institution.
- elevate Columbia and the state of South Carolina into a higher level on the national sports scene, which would mean additional exposure and interest from coast to coast.
