Fifth Third Arena Renovations Nearly Green Lit
By Chris Bains
Tom Groeschen at the Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that the $85 million Fifth Third Arena renovations are in the cusp of being approved by UC such that the project can officially kick off.
"The UC Board of Trustees is expected to approve the project soon, possibly at its next meeting in August. The project will be paid for with private funds and some fundraising already is in progress, sources told The Enquirer."
That’s how these things go at major universities. Plans get toss around the school’s athletic department, the president and athletic director review them, pick the best one, and throw it up to the Board of Trustees for approval. In the past the BOT hasn’t been a roadblock for green lighting these projects and no one expects them to be this time around. We should hear news of the official approval in a few weeks.
As for the specs, nothing’s really changed from the final RFQ was issued around this time last month.
- Capacity reduced to roughly 10,000 – 10,818 if we’re taking the RFQ as gospel.
- Total cost between $70 and $85 million (expect it to be closer to the latter).
- Start date in April, 2016 with an expected completion prior to the 2017-18 season.
- Thousands of new premium seats include a set of suites and loge boxes to seat upwards of a hundred wealthy patrons.
- A new “Super Suite” for UCATS members.
- 876 retractable seats will remain along each sideline but they will presumably have chairbacks.
- Reduction of the student section to 1,417 seats, not counting overflow.
But now we are graced with an incredible fly through video, via Fox19. UPDATE: Looks like Fox19 yanked the video, likely at the request of UC who didn’t want it revealed yet. I hope you saw it while you could! Here’s their coverage of the renovations, for what it’s worth.
Cincinnati News, FOX19-WXIX TV
This baby can’t get renovated soon enough.