Birmingham-based BL Harbert Int'l will be building another SEC arena, as Ole Miss yesterday announced that the general contractor "has been awarded" the $68.9M contract to build the school's new arena, according to Bryan Davis of the BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS JOURNAL. The company said that construction "would begin immediately," with K.C.-based AECOM as the architect. The arena will "seat 9,600 and will be ready" for the '16-17 basketball season. The project will "include the basketball court, premier locker room suites for players and coaching staff, training facilities, a Courtside Club, All-American Suites and the Arena Club" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/23). NBCSPORTS.com's Scott Phillips noted the new arena "will be right next to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on the southeast side of the school’s campus." Ole Miss basketball has played in the 9,065-seat Tad Smith Coliseum since '65. BL Harbert recently constructed Auburn Arena, which was completed in '10, while AECOM designed FedExForum and CenturyLink Field. With the arena "coming right next to the Ole Miss football stadium, it makes for a nice area on campus where fans can always go to attend marquee sporting events" (NBCSPORTS.com, 6/23).
