Gophers explore renovations to Williams Arena or new basketball venue

[adamj95]

Gophers explore renovations to Williams Arena or new basketball venue

The athletics department has contracted Populous for a feasibility study on options for future.

www.twincities.com

With Williams Arena approaching 100 years old, the Gophers athletic department is beginning to explore options for the home of its men’s and women’s basketball programs.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

The sooner, the better

 

[SHGopher]

Who will pay for it? Not going to happen anytime soon.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

University considers Williams Arena renovation, contracting with Populous

Athletic director Mark Coyle gave no timetable for the process but said talks have increased since last year about changes to the Barn, which was built in 1928.

www.startribune.com

The Gophers signed a contract in October with Populous, a Kansas City-based architectural firm, to explore renovation for Williams Arena/Maturi Pavilion or the construction of a new facility, according to the contract sent to the Star Tribune.

Populous helped with the design process for the Gophers' football home at Huntington Bank Stadium (formerly TCF Bank Stadium) that opened in 2009.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Time for Williams Arena teardown? Not if we get more Gophers games like Tuesday's.

The Barn turned electric Tuesday night during the Gophers victory over Michigan State, and that was when it was half-full. The place can still rock.

www.startribune.com

Scoggins adds his two cents:

The dusty and cramped old Barn felt alive for a night, awoken from its slumber. Not fully awake. Too many seats remain unoccupied to understand completely why longtime Williams Arena lovers cling to it with such reverence and romanticism.

Tuesday night provided a glimpse of it though, a snapshot of what it used to be and still can be — and, boy, was it fun.

Williams Arena became a home-court advantage again, boisterous and disruptive in a way that played a factor in the Gophers' 59-56 win over Michigan State.

Big games have been too infrequent for the men's program for too many seasons, but this one qualified as a big game and Ben Johnson's team and the Barn rose to the occasion.

The student section was packed from front to back, aided by a jersey giveaway, which was a smart promotion because those young folks had a blast and made a difference with their voices.