Exterior Design For New Downtown Louisville Arena Unveiled
The design of the 22,000-seat arena in downtown Louisville was unveiled yesterday by city and state officials and Univ. of Louisville reps, who described the design of the building as "iconic," "dynamic" and "contemporary," according to Marcus Green of the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL. The arena will include a Main Street plaza and amphitheater "meant to link with the core of downtown." But HOK Sport architect Brad Clark, whose company is designing the building, said that the curving, cascading roof is what will "make people remember the building." Clark: "That to me is going to be the image of this building that will be lasting, and really reflects the idea of the Falls of the Ohio, which is really where it all began." Green notes about $342M in bonds will be issued later this year to cover construction, which is expected to begin next summer and be completed by fall 2010. Total debt service is expected to be $537M over three decades. The debt will be paid through the city's commitment of "at least $206[M] over 30 years;" $265M from a tax-increment financing district; $179M from advertising rights inside the arena; $63M from luxury box sales; and at least $37M from naming rights (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 8/21). Louisville Arena Authority Chair Jim Host said two companies are considering buying naming rights for the arena, but did not name them. The BUSINESS FIRST OF LOUISVILLE's John Karman noted the also includes "large expanses of glass" and "limestone panels on the lower portion of the exterior walls." Large video boards will be featured on the arena's exterior and the arena also "could house a coffee shop and retail business" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/21).
CENTERPLATE: Centerplate, which has existing deals with the Kentucky Exposition Center, the Univ. of Louisville and the Triple-A Int'l League Louisville Bats, has been awarded the food and beverage contract for the new arena (Centerplate).
Renderings Of Downtown Louisville Arena
(http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Content/Image/08-21-2007/Louisville-Arena.gif)
wow thats awesome. i don't understand how louisville can afford this. this seems to be more in the realms of pro arenas.
That's basically what it is. Louisville would love to get a NBA team to the city but they need the arena first. That's all in the plan.
I am sure it will be an awesome facility, but the picture is not that all dynamic. Looks like a larger version of the Shoemaker Center.
Man, beautiful...almost can't wait till our guys get to kick Louisville's butt in that shiny new building.
Paraphrasing Derek Zoolander, Who is going to fit in there, ants? The only person from our team that might fit is Acker......never mind. Sorry. Carry on.