Fort Worth Business Press, May 12, 2014 Vol. 26, No. 18 | Page 18

courtesy photo 18 Coliseum renovation puts TCU basketball in BIG 12 SPOTLIGHT n Scott Nishimura [email protected] C onstruction on a $60 million-plus renovation of Texas Christian University’s DanielMeyer Coliseum is underway, and athletic director Chris Del Conte expects the result to be a facility that will compete with all other basketball venues in the Big 12 for fan experience and recruiting appeal. TCU began construction after reaching its initial $45 million goal, which included a lead $10 million gift from retired Alcon executive Ed Schollmaier and his wife, Rae. The university is continuing to raise funds for what Del Conte believes will be the ultimate $61-$62 million cost of the renovations. The makeover includes more space, new locker and team meeting rooms, expanded sports medicine center, the latest electronics, a floor-level club for donors and lowered basketball floor. Seating capacity will remain the same at 7,200 when the refurbished arena opens in October 2015. “We only have 8,000 students,” Del Renovation Details Originally built: 1961 Renovation cost: $61 million to $62 million Original cost: $1.45 million, about $11.4 million in 2014 dollars Architect for renovations: HKS Inc. Architect for original building: Joe Pelich The name: Daniel-Meyer Coliseum was named after the late Milton Daniel, who was the former chairman of the TCU Board of Trustees, and L.R. (Dutch) Meyer, former TCU head men’s basketball and football coach and athletics director at the time of construction. Conte said. “You want to build a facility that is the right size for us. It’s packed. Great atmosphere, loud, energetic.” Del Conte sat down with the Fort Worth Business Press for a Q&A. Where was TCU competitively against other schools with Daniel-Meyer? It was built in 1961. When it was built, it was state of the art, but nothing’s been done since. You’re looking at recruiting the finest students to come to play for you, and facilities play a huge part, just like it does in academics. Our chancellor has reformed this entire campus to recruit the finest students. Was it adequate when TCU played in the Mountain West? It for sure wasn’t adequate in the Mountain West, because the Mountain West was just really a basketball conference [with teams like UNLV]. What’s the difference between the Mountain West and Big 12? The Big 12, they have regional teams. They matter. [In the Mountain West], men’s basketball was huge, but there was no knowledge base of New Mexico, there was not the water cooler conversation. College athletics is meant to be regional. With regional athletics, they have longstanding ties. When TCU entered planning for the new Daniel-Meyer, what had to be in it? One, from the student [athlete] perspective, was locker rooms, training room, practice facility. Their space is going to say ‘Wow.’ Everyone in the Big 12 has incredible facilities. Then you had to look from a fan perspective. What can we do to help give fans a great in-game experience? Daniel-Meyer, the bones are great, we just needed to add. We’re adding about 230,000 square feet of space, plus some renovation to others. Brand new Hall of Fame. When our patrons walk in, they have to walk through our Hall of Fame and share our great history and the pride of being the Horned Frogs. Taking out the floor, lowering the floor 5 or 6 feet, building that back up, so then you have great sight lines. Taking down both end zones to give it a great feel when you walk in. New score boards, all interactive. We’re building a 10,000-squarefoot club for our donors. When you’re raising the money, you’ve got to make sure the people who are paying the bills have the amenities that modern facilities have. Concessions. Right now, there’s only one restroom on the top concourse. New concessions, a new food court, restrooms throughout. Big wide concourse. Points of sale for memorabilia. Wi-Fi. What about suites? We didn’t do suites. We decided to do a [court-side] club instead. We wanted to dig down and create court-side seats and make it a really loud facility. Sight lines to a court-side seat are to me more important than a suite in basketball. [Donors can enjoy] dinner, drinks. You go back and forth to the court. I can use that club for football, to