The Texas State University System Board of Regents has authorized Texas State University to expand the scope of planned Strahan Coliseum renovations, which will now become part of the University Event Center.
The board approved the changes during its August 13 meeting at Sul Ross State University in Alpine.
The new designs would add 2,300 seats to Strahan’s capacity by building out the eastern side of the arena, but also includes an additional 81,000 gross square feet to make the University Event Center a multi-use facility.
Due to growth of Texas State’s student population, there is a pressing need to expand the University Event Center to accommodate additional seating and space in Strahan for commencement, convocation and special events. As it is, the university now schedules multiple commencement services that cannot be fully accommodated in Strahan. The inadequate gymnasiums in the adjacent Jowers Center are under constant use to handle the overflow during commencement.
Department of Athletics offices currently housed in Jowers would be relocated to new facilities in the University Event Center. This would allow the consolidation of the Department of Health and Human Performance in the vacated Jowers space.
The project will expand athletic locker rooms, offices and support spaces for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, women’s volleyball, visiting teams and game officials. A new main entrance, pedestrian plaza, elevator, restrooms and concessions will upgrade the overall experience for guests.
The CIP cost for the revised project is approximately $54 million.
The preliminary schedule has the architect/engineer contract executed in October with design development approval coming in spring of 2016 and project completion in early 2019.