The Extra Point: Alabama's Athletic Facilities Getting Major Upgrade
A week that has already been filled with headlines got even more exciting on Friday morning when the Alabama Board of Trustees voted to approve plans proposed by the University of Alabama to build a new on-campus arena and golf facility.
Deemed Phase II of the Crimson Standard, the University of Alabama Athletic Competition Arena is set to cost $183 million and will be home to the gymnastics team and both the men's and women's basketball teams. The golf facility will be built exclusively for the men's and women's golf teams and will cost around $27 million.
While the financial numbers are mind-boggling and the concept drawings are beyond impressive, fans and athletes alike should be excited about the specific changes the new facilities are bringing.
The new arena is planned to have a capacity of 10,136 with the proposed design bringing fans close to the action on the court. A complaint of Coleman Coliseum has been how far away the seating is from the floor, and the new plans seem to remedy that situation.
Another proposed change is the arrangement of the student seating which has been a point of contention for some time as it is currently. Student seating in the new arena will surround three-quarters of the court instead of a just corner like in Coleman Coliseum. The hope is that this will create a louder and more exciting atmosphere for both the players and the fans.
While the exact location for the new arena has not been decided on, several locations were proposed and Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne seemed to indicate they are strongly considering the area close to Rhoads Stadium and where RVs park on football game days.
The golf facility is planned to be built south of Jack Warner Parkway alongside Kicker Road and will include an expansive Georgian Revival clubhouse, an extensive practice range, and a nine-hole course to be exclusively used by the men's and women's teams.
The Crimson Tide men's and women's golf programs have both won national championships in the last decade and the new facilities will only increase the appeal for players thinking of attending the university.
A timetable for the completion of the new facilities was not announced, but a call for construction bids is set to begin in April of 2023.
Check out the video at the top of the page where BamaCentral's Clay Miller and Katie Windham discuss the plans for Alabama's new athletic facilities.
The Extra Point: Alabama's Athletic Facilities Getting Major Upgrade
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
