Huntsman Center to be relocated:

[NarfUte]

Been rumored, but now it’s coming from the horses mouth

University embarks on ambitious framework to build “college town magic”

[DataUte]

I guess it will be a reconstruction and not a lift job…

They really do need a more modern (smaller, like 9k for bball, but 15k at gymnastics is great) arena with more boxes and better experience. They are still considering options, but wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up as part of the downtown development. I hope it stays on campus, but not that optimistic. The U just got the last 50 acres of Ft. Douglas.

[NarfUte]

Prevailing rumor is just west of RES.

[homer]

The sight lines at JMHC are about as good as they get. When Chris was AD, there was talk of expanding outward the round walkway and offices. I guess a s.aller, newer venue is now planned.

[Utehomer42]

This isn’t about athletics, Harlan and Randall don’t give a rats ass about anything that isn’t football. It’s just them pandering to out of state students by building more dorms and trying to make the U a destination University. As a student Im not happy because every year they take out parking and build more housing and increase enrollment, while not accounting for class sizes and parking. These bozos should lose their jobs.

[TruckStopTerrors]

There’s a logical reason they are doing this and trying to increase enrollment though. It goes beyond just future conference realignment where they were told this was one of the thresholds for B1G membership down the line. Universities are going to see steep declines in enrollment across the nation as there are less children being born compared to previous generations, less people taking the college route(specifically men not wanting to go deep into debt and choosing blue collar work instead), and of course increased competition for the people that do decide to go to a university.

[EagleMountainUte]

It is still a commuter school and the parking combined with the road access is bad. Utah in general is brain dead in just building more and more housing with no infrastructure to support it.
Then they wonder why inversion gets so bad. They have expanded the housing on the Wasatch front with no infrastructure to support the amount of people. So you have endless gridlock all along every road.
Throwing even more people into the downtown area with their vehicles isn’t a solution.

[highlandute7]

Does this mean the practice facilities will move as well or stay where they are? My bet is they want this real estate for additional housing but if they move the area elsewhere, seems like the practice facilities would need to go with it.

[NarfUte]

the Dumke and the Jon and Karen Huntsman BBall facility are staying put

[Utesbyfive]

It’s far from a done deal. It’s just in planning stages. The money has to be approved by the legislature for all of this masterplan. Does anyone remember the plan. To turn the RES west lot into some kind of fun zone development? Never happened.

[Tony (admin)]

Now they can better engineer the black curtains.

[Ute Dub]

I had to downvote that comment as it was too painful. 🙂

[Tony (admin)]

I should have mentioned that downvotes were not only deserved, but welcomed on that one.

[Central Coast Ute]

I thought it was an appropriate jab

[utefansince79]

Very grateful the curtains no longer used at basketball games.

[AlohaUte]

So will they be building an entirely new basketball arena or literally moving the Huntsman Center? I actually like the look of the Huntsman Center, I hope they move it but completely modernize the inside and locker rooms and such. (I honestly have no idea how dated any of that actually is, maybe it’s already all modernized).

[UtesRule]

Most likely spot for the new arena is in the new development area where the MLB stadium will be built.

[AlohaUte]

Hmm, not thrilled with an off-campus arena. Wouldn’t an arena be a great fit for the college life area?

[AlohaUte]

Hmm, not thrilled with an off-campus arena. Wouldn’t an arena be a great fit for the college life area?

[UteManX]

It won’t be off campus. The whole point of these updates is to make the U a community, not a commuter school. More residential spots, entertainment and shopping, restaurants and of course athletics. They want to get to over 40,000 undergrads (see board of trustees meetings). Trust me, they already have the spots narrowed down. On campus.

[Author]

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