UK’s Memorial Coliseum renovation to start in March. See renderings for planned changes.
The @UniversityofKY Athletics Committee has endorsed the Memorial Coliseum renovation, home of four teams: @KentuckyWBB, @UKGymnastics, @uk_stunt & @KentuckyVB, numerous campus events and a place of honor for Kentuckians who died in military service.
— Kentucky Athletics (@UKAthletics) February 16, 2023
https://t.co/G9r0hrbofQ pic.twitter.com/Nq3nQ4dNJX
Construction on an $82 million renovation to Memorial Coliseum is on track to begin in March after gaining approval from the University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees Friday.
The resolution, which calls for the project to be funded with a mix of bond and private funds, was voted on by the full board at its Friday meeting. Construction is scheduled to begin as soon as the UK STUNT team completes its final home meet on March 11.
“It was five years ago we had an initial dinner just about the (fundraising) campaign, but we’ve been talking about it for probably a decade,” UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart told the Herald-Leader after Thursday’s athletics committee meeting. “It’s tough when you’re recruiting to a facility that doesn’t even have air conditioning. … It’s a historic facility, it’s iconic, we get all that. The bench seating and those kind of things, it’s all going to be transformed, which will be really important for fans to be able to come in there and participate.”
Memorial Coliseum was opened in 1950 as the home of the university’s men’s basketball program. While the men’s basketball team now plays at Rupp Arena, Memorial Coliseum still hosts home events for the women’s basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and STUNT teams.
The arena was named to honor Kentuckians who died in World War II and the Korean conflict. As part of the renovation, UK plans to enhance the memorial for Kentuckians who died in military service as well as add air conditioning, renovate seating and improve lighting and sound systems. The renovation includes offices and academic facilities housed in the building.
Construction will prevent any UK team from competing in the facility during the 2023-24 school year, meaning the school will need to find temporary homes for women’s basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and STUNT. Rupp Arena is expected to host some of those teams, but existing contracts for other events mean UK will have to find other facilities for some home games.
“We’re gaining ground on that,” Barnhart said. “There’s a lot of scheduling pieces. Some of our schedules are set already. Some of them are still to come from the league, so we’re working our way through all of those pieces. We have talked to multiple places.
“... We’re going to have to be very fluid. Our coaches certainly understand that. For one year we’re going to work our way through it and figure it out. Excited to do it knowing that we come back in fall of ‘24, and we’re substantially completed enough to be able to compete.”
This story was originally published February 17, 2023 at 6:00 AM.