Groundbreaking for the renovation of Arizona State's Wells Fargo Arena and "construction of an adjacent hockey/multi-purpose arena" could take place next fall, according to Jeff Metcalfe of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. ASU AD Ray Anderson said that the projects, which will be done simultaneously, "would then be completed" in fall '21. Anderson said of a groundbreaking, "My preference is third quarter of 2019. I’m not the only one who has a decision in this, but I’m pushing toward that and I have confidence we’ll get that done." Anderson reaffirmed that men's and women's basketball and other teams currently using Wells Fargo Arena "will not be displaced during renovation of the 14,000-seat arena." Metcalfe notes the arena's seating capacity "will be reduced to a total yet to be finalized." Meanwhile, the hockey arena, to be built on the east side of Wells Fargo Arena, "will seat approximately 5,000 and also be home for gymnastics and wrestling" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/8).
DEVILS MAY CARE: In Phoenix, Brandon Brown noted ASU earlier this year unveiled its $307M renovation to Sun Devil Stadium, but since the football team only plays less than eight home games a year, there is a "feeling on campus the stadium needs to offer students, faculty and the broader metro Phoenix community more." ASU has "booked concerts at the stadium, but created smaller venues on its beer garden area called the Coca-Cola Sun Deck, where it also has held yoga classes." ASU 365 Community Union GM Victor Hamburger said that there are "more conventional ideas, such as using suites for meeting or conference spaces ... but those same spaces can be used to create a nightclub feel." He added that a number of businesses have "booked space in Sun Devil Stadium for holiday parties." ASU also has "shown a number of films on the big screen in the north end zone" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/7).
