It is alumni weekend, so I went to today’s discussion by Miami’s architect and university planner Robert Bell, to find out about future construction.
He has a simulated picture of the planned basketball arena – it looks very good, and it has an attached practice building / volleyball arena. The Pulley Bell Tower would stay and would be right in front of the main entrance to the arena.
Permanent seating for the basketball arena is planned for around 6,000 give or take (likely between 5,500 to 6,500).
There is a possibility that there may be underground parking below the arena and traffic from Ohio 73 would be funneled into the garage without having to go through the nasty intersection of Ohio 73 and US-27.
The planned hotel will be at the northwest corner of Cook field directly across the street from the Farmer School of Business. Miami is in discussions with a company that builds and operates one of a kind boutique hotels. The hotel would be similar to ones at small colleges & upscale universities. The plan is for the hotel to be the best hotel in Oxford by far & it would not be part of a chain. The hotel would include a upscale restaurant & bar.
Keep in mind, all of this is still in planning, & none of it is for sure. It could all change
This picture comes from ChrisW1980’s facebook page - he attended President Crawford’s State of The University address today at reunion weekend and then posted it on facebook.
Less cowbell…errr…I meant less brick walls for nothing! I would like to see some red brick integrated into the design of the actual exterior walls of the Arena, albeit in a much more limited way. Think accents.
I was able to pull it up on X. Not anything too exciting in the article that hasn’t been shared.
6500 arena
Cook field
2 basketball practice courts
VB Court
“Miami is designing the arena with the student body in mind so they can feel part of the atmosphere, Durojaiye said.
“We know those are the things that really contribute positively to the student experience,” he said. “They positively impact retention and alumni engagement. So those are things that we really want to drive from a student perspective.”
Miami envisions hosting concerts and other big events at the facility too
The hotel expected to be built adjacent to the arena will feature a restaurant and coffee shop.
Miami also plans a “small to midsize” conference center - - -It envisions taking hospitality spaces that would be used during basketball games and converting them to conference spaces for use at other times.
Will tear down Millett Hall and relocate IM fields there
Miami is in the process of selecting a criteria architect. That’s where it determines the size and scope of the project. It then goes out to bid. No final timetable has been set yet.
Miami will pay for the project with a mix of university money raised by issuing bonds and athletic department fundraising led by Sayler. That’s no small task.
“It is going to be one of the largest campaigns of a single project that we’ve done at Miami,” he said.
The donation would be nice, but something local would be a better amenity. A few years ago, the alumni association sent me a Miami mug and a bag of “Miami Grind,” which is apparently the coffee blend a local roastery produces for some of the campus hangouts. It was really good.
