Arizona Board of Regents Approves New ASU Sports Arena

By on November 9, 2020 0 673Views

Arizona State University sports fans can get ready to cheer. According to multiple reports, an Arizona Board of Regents committee gave final approval of a plan to build a new 5,000-seat ASU sports arena that will be home to the ASU hockey team as well as other sports.

Greg Cameron at CollegeHockeyNews.com first reported that the Finance, Capital and Resources Committee gave approval for the plan to build the $115 million ASU sports arena, which will be located near where ASU’s former baseball stadium, historic Packard Stadium, was, right near the corner of Rio Salado Pkwy., and Rural Rd.

The project is part of Arizona State’s massive expansion and development on the southeast edge of the main Tempe campus. The Novus Innovation Corridor is transforming the land on both sides of Rural Rd. into new athletic facilities for ASU, as well as offices, hotels and multifamily buildings.

The plan will now go to the full Board of Regents on Nov. 18 for final approval, which is expected.

The report noted that Arizona State had issued a notice of intent to award the construction of the project to Mortenson, which recently completed the new 259-room Hyatt Place/Hyatt House in the Novus Innovation Corridor. Construction is expected to begin in early 2021 with hopes of being ready in time for the ASU men’s hockey team to play the 2022-23 season in the new facility. The hockey team will also have a practice ice rink as part of the new building, which will be shared with the ASU gymnastics and wrestling programs. It would also be an alternative venue for other ASU sports like men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball.

According to the report, the ASU sports arena will feature nine loge areas, 20 private suites, two larger group suites and premium club seats.