Assembly Hall renovation could begin in the spring of 2011

The idea is to install air-conditioning (that alone will cost about $35 million), drop the floor six feet, tear out all of A-section, create a bowl that would allow 1,400 to 1,800 students to stand around the floor without sightline issues, and build corner suites in lower B-section to help pay for it. And all this must be done in the offseason, hopefully (in a perfect scenario) beginning after the 2010-11 basketball season.

This first phase of the Assembly Hall is just part of a three-pronged initiative that includes two new buildings: a 4,000-seat competitive arena to replace Huff Hall and an Olympic sports training center.

Tate