‘Experience excellence.’ Eastern Kentucky unveils new-look basketball arena
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Eastern Kentucky University completes a renovation project at Baptist Health Arena.
- The renovation includes upgrades to the court, concourse, locker rooms and seats.
- Alumni Coliseum’s first event after reopening was a basketball game against WKU.
A major renovation project on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond is now complete.
EKU officials reopened Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum on Monday morning with a ribbon-cutting event that signified the end of a transformative facelift for the facility.
Speakers at the event included EKU President David McFaddin, EKU athletics director Kyle Moats and Sen. Jared Carpenter, who represents Madison County and part of Fayette County in the state legislature.
The renovations to Alumni Coliseum — which was built in 1963 — began in March 2024. The first two phases of the project were completed in January, which allowed the facility to be used during EKU’s spring semester for sports and graduation ceremonies.
Now, the third and final phase of renovation work has been finished.
“If you look at our strategic plan, we talk about experience excellence,” McFaddin told reporters Monday. “We feel like this place represents the excellence of what you can get from an educational experience right here at Eastern Kentucky. So the future, I hope, is one that’s filled with exceptional experiences for our students, for our community, for anyone that finds their way to EKU.”
The venue is normally the home of EKU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and volleyball team. With the venue out of action, EKU hosted home basketball games in both Berea and Lexington. The Rick Erdmann Olympic Sports Training Center, which is located on Eastern’s campus, was utilized for volleyball matches.
Events that have typically taken place at Alumni Coliseum include EKU’s Big E Welcome and new student orientation, as well as the All “A” Classic high school basketball tournaments.
Regardless of the occasion, those visiting Alumni Coliseum are likely to notice the changes that have been made to the venue.
The Herald-Leader got a first look at the revamped Alumni Coliseum on Monday following the reopening ceremony.
The first athletic contest at the new-look facility took place Monday night, with Western Kentucky topping Eastern Kentucky in a men’s basketball game.
Renovations made to Alumni Coliseum include upgrades to the basketball court, concourse and locker rooms. A 300-seat conference center, team rooms, a courtside club and a team store are also now in place.
The final renovation phase addressed the venue’s seating options. All seats at Alumni Coliseum are now chair backs. McFaddin said the seating bowl is now fully accessible for all spectators.
“I’m so thankful that we’re finally going to get back in there. It’s going to be beautiful,” EKU men’s basketball coach A.W. Hamilton said last month. “... It’s pretty special when you talk about the history of Alumni Coliseum, it goes back a long way. And the investment that they’ve made in that arena, to change it for our players, for the University, for our fans. It says a lot.”
These upgrades began under former EKU athletics director Matt Roan, who is now the AD at James Madison. Moats, the current Eastern AD, began his role in July 2024. Previously, $55 million has been mentioned by stakeholders as the cost of the renovation project.
On Monday, McFaddin said plans for offices on the third floor of the venue had to be scaled back due to construction costs.
Alumni Coliseum’s signature wooden laminated cross-arched roof, which spans 309 feet, went unaffected by the changes to the arena.
The first EKU women’s basketball game at the upgraded arena will be Wednesday night against Evansville. Eastern’s women’s team is 1-1 this season.
Eastern Kentucky’s volleyball team will play its final two regular season matches at Baptist Health Arena on Thursday (Central Arkansas) and Friday (North Alabama). EKU is 19-7 overall and 11-3 in conference play this season. The Colonels are tied for first place in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
EKU is in its final season as a member of the ASUN. Starting with the 2026-27 year, EKU will shift all of its sports to the United Athletic Conference.
This story was originally published November 10, 2025 at 12:20 PM.
