In Ft. Worth, Stefan Stevenson notes TCU today announced a $45M renovation of Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, after the school's trustees "recently approved the plans." Like the Amon G. Carter Stadium renovations, the project "won't begin until the funds have been raised." TCU AD Chris Del Conte said that it "would likely begin at the conclusion of next season." Architecture firm HKS said that the "court will be lowered several feet to accommodate additional rows of seating." Other highlights include a TCU athletics HOF on the main concourse (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 4/17).
EXERCISE FOR THE DEMONS: In Chicago, Cancino & Bergen report DePaul Univ. "appears to be weighing a site west of Lincoln Park for a Blue Demons men's basketball arena, signaling that a site near McCormick Place is not necessarily its slam-dunk pick." A. Finkl & Sons Co. Chair & CEO Bruce Liimatainen yesterday said that DePaul has been "in contact with his company in the last two weeks about the possibility of building an arena on 22 acres the steelmaker is vacating as it moves production to the city's South Side." He added that city officials "have been involved in the talks as well" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/17).
HUSKY FIT: In Hartford, Dom Amore reported the "official groundbreaking ceremony" was held yesterday for the UConn Basketball Development Center. The facility will "cost roughly" $35M and be ready by May '14. It will provide a "permanent home for the men's and women's teams." Each team will be able to "practice when it wants, on wider courts that will allow for drills on the side while other players are on the court." There will be areas for "meeting, film study, study halls and team meals" and "locker rooms for alumni" (HARTFORD COURANT, 4/17).
MISSOURI COMPROMISE: YAHOO SPORTS' Frank Schwab noted the college football game between Southeast Missouri State Univ. and Southern Illinois Univ.-Carbondale at Busch Stadium "will be a fun game with a lot of local alumni from both sides invested in the rivalry, but it's also fair to wonder if this is a bit of a test drive for bigger football events in the stadium." It "sure sounds like this isn't a one-time thing." But the "problem is there are no obvious FBS games to play there." Missouri and Illinois "haven't played since 2010." Missouri and Kansas "aren't in the same conference anymore, and playing at St. Louis might not make much sense for them even if they did." However, a bowl game "might be a possibility down the road" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/16).
