Arizona State has "revamped its plan for a new multi-purpose arena, now no longer tied into a renovation of Desert Financial Arena and to be located in a new location," according to Jeff Metcalfe of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. The new plan is to build an arena for hockey, gymnastics and wrestling, plus a "separate Olympic sports training facility." ASU submitted an "amended capital development plan to the Board of Regents finance committee," asking that its plan for a $120M project be "forwarded to the full board for approval." The next full BOR meeting is scheduled for April 2-3. If approved, the start of construction is scheduled for November '20, with completion in August '22. ASU's "new plans or timetable for renovating Desert Financial Arena are not yet known." In early '18, ASU received BOR approval for a $160M project to "renovate Desert Financial Arena and build an adjacent multi-purpose arena." But ASU in its amended plan said that that project "since was determined not to be 'cost effective from a shared infrastructure and location perspective.'" Metcalfe reported the new athletic project "would build a 5,000-seat arena" adjacent to Sun Devil Track Stadium. In addition to hockey, ASU gymnastics and wrestling "would compete at the new arena" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/23).
