Arizona’s McKale Center to undergo major renovation

The Arizona athletic department announced Monday it has raised money — and is looking to raise more — in order to upgrade the McKale Center.

According to a press release, the department is working to raise $30 million for Phase I of an overall $80 million renovation project. It has already secured $12.6 million — in part due to a $6 million donation from Tucsonans Cole and Jeannie Davis — and is expected to reach $20 million in the near future.

“We can’t thank Cole and Jeannie enough for their generosity and support of Arizona Athletics,” said Director of Athletics Greg Byrne. “Their commitment to our programs is admirable and their contributions have gone a long way in providing our student-athletes with the best possible experience. McKale is 40 years old and in need of upgrades in order to keep the facility competitive with others around the country as it relates to recruiting, the fan experience and revenue generation. The Davis’ leadership gift is a huge initial step and we expect it to create momentum for future gifts that will assist in all phases of our renovation plan.”

The first part of the renovation will be completed over the next month, with the installation of a new high-definition scoreboard that is approximately 25 percent larger than the current scoreboard.

“We are so grateful to the Davis family for their support of men’s basketball at Arizona,” head coach Sean Miller stated. “Their generosity is one of the main reasons for the growth we’ve seen in our program over the last few seasons. They have helped us address many of the needs we identified at the start of our tenure and their kindness has assisted us in creating a foundation for future success.”

Other upgrades, pending approval from the Arizona Board of Regents, include new seating, hand rails, enhanced lighting and a new playing floor. Designs for upgraded amenities, locker rooms and restrooms have also been produced.

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