UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion after more than two years of renovations “officially reopens Nov. 9,” and it will feature “bold colors, high-end finishes and LED graphics,” according to David Wharton of the L.A. TIMES. A “bright, airy concourse, wrapped around the old building, will include upscale concession stands and more restrooms.” The “real test will come inside the bowl, where 1,000 seats have been added along the top and bottom -- boosting capacity to 13,002 -- with the stated intent of putting fans closer to the action.” UCLA AD Dan Guerrero said that construction crews, working “through the end of the month, hope to finish the project at slightly under its adjusted budget of $136 million.” School administrators said that UCLA has “received $72 million in pledges to help pay the tab but has banked only $30 million of that because … some gifts are amortized over five or more years.” Sponsorships have generated “an additional $5 million to $6 million and there could be a naming rights deal in the not-too-distant future.” Women will have “four times as many restroom facilities; for men, the capacity has more than doubled.” The number of concession stands “has grown to nine and will include California Pizza Kitchen, Subway, Jamba Juice and a panini bar.” There also will be a “shop selling merchandise in the northwest corner.” Wharton notes “special touches include blue and gold accents throughout the building, with entrances to each section marked by large metal panels showing graphics of players in action” (L.A. TIMES, 10/26).
LET ME UPGRADE YA: ESPN L.A.’s Peter Yoon noted the renovation “added aesthetically pleasing new concourses spanning up to 40 feet wide that encircle the old building, add about 70,000 square feet of new space inside Pauley and allow plenty of room for fans to move around.” Much of that added square footage “includes several museum-like tributes to past UCLA athletic achievements.” The structure of the building inside “remained largely unchanged, but all of the seating is new, about 1,000 new seats have been added, a high-definition scoreboard now hangs at center court and LED ribbon boards encircle the top level.” The project included “digging out underground space for a 300-person banquet facility that will serve as a members-only Pavilion Club -- the only place on campus that serves alcohol -- for well-heeled donors.” The locker rooms feature “cherrywood lockers with electrical outlets in each locker and etched-glass name plates for every player.” Players also have “access to lounges with large, comfortable couches and chairs and big-screen televisions.” The building now has a “weight room for use by the basketball and volleyball teams and a high-tech, 24-seat theater room will allow coaches to break down film for the team” (ESPNLA.com, 10/25).
