Coming this November is a new Arena Auditorium that the University of Wyoming has never seen before. Over the past spring and summer the AA went through phase one of its two phase plan to renovate the Arena Auditorium which will cost about $30 million altogether.
The AA was opened in 1982 and has hosted many events for the University of Wyoming over the years. These events range from graduation, concerts, speeches form world-renowned speakers and countless basketball games. The building has held its own for the past 30 years but it seems like it’s time for an up-grade.
There will also be improvements that will also give joy to Cowboys fans. New seats will put fans closer to the court and a new HD video screen to better see replays and other Wyoming action
According to the University’s website, phase one of the AA renovations will cost about $10 million and focus on the interior of the arena. There will be new locker rooms for the teams, a new sports medicine area, and rooms for weight training and film studying. A new court will be put in and will be able to transform into a top of the line practice facility. It will be able to be the size of at least two courts when it is transformed. There will also be improvements that will also give joy to Cowboys fans. New seats will put fans closer to the court and a new HD video screen to better see replays and other Wyoming action. Along with a new video screen there will be new lighting and sound system too. There will also be a new club area, which will be a lot like club area, the Wild Catter, in War Memorial stadium. This new club area will look to be a new revenue generator for the University. The first stage should be complete in time for the up-coming basketball season.
Phase two will focus on the outside of the building with new entries to the building, a hall of fame area for former great Wyoming Cowboys, plus a 22-foot high statue of former Wyoming great Kenny Sailors. Phase two will cost about $20 million. The outside will have a glass current wall that will be lit and will allow those from the outside to be able to look into the new main lobby. New team store, consecution stands, and restrooms will be added to the lobby as well.
“I haven’t seen what the inside looks like yet, but I’m stoked to see it and cheer on the teams,” said Jaron Bartoszek student and fan at the University of Wyoming.
Not many people have seen the inside of the AA yet but one man has and he really likes what he sees.
“I’m shocked, after all the years in the Big East, the ACC and the SEC for the money we had in a 35 year old building I think that they have done a knock-out job,” head boys basketball coach Larry Shyatt said after seeing the inside of the AA.
Before coming back to UW basketball head coach Shyatt was an assistant coach at the University of Florida, where he won two national championships. While there they played at all sorts of arenas that were top of line and it appears now that Wyoming will have an arena that is like those ones in the SEC and the others that he has seen over his coaching years.
“This is going to be something that’s going to be a win-win for the student athletes and the fans,” coach Shyatt said, “I’m hoping that (with these renovations) we bring back the most important group, student body.”
