Villanova in April received a $22.6M donation from an alumnus to renovate the Pavilion, and "plans are underway to use the cash to help give the gym a more contemporary feel," according to Dan Gelston of the AP. Because it "takes time to add suites, concession stands and other amenities," Villanova will be "forced to play a season on the road during construction." Villanova men's basketball coach Jay Wright said, "Earliest would be next year. It could be [a] year after that, year after that. But it's inevitable. And I think inevitable within the next two, three years." The 6,500-seat venue is "more of a super-sized YMCA than a state-of-the art arena." There are "sparse concession stands and restrooms and no true suites or other high-end amenities." Courtside seats are "filled with aging, deep-pocketed alumni instead of passionate students that would create a big-game atmosphere." It is "not a great venue to watch basketball." Wright added, "We've got to gut it, and we've got to make everything better. The fan experience, the sight lines, amenities, suites. It's got to be a major project. And it's got to be an all-basketball arena" (AP, 10/4). In Philadelphia, Mike Jensen notes fans "shouldn't expect much of a change in seating capacity." There apparently "isn't room to expand given zoning restrictions." If that is the case, the success or failure of the reconfigured building "will depend on a better viewing experience for fans and a bigger homecourt advantage." Jensen: "If the new plans don't accomplish this, what's the point of getting away for a year?" (PHILLY.com, 10/4).
