Here is an article from today's Daily on the New Mariucci Arena. I am
anxiously awaiting the Gopher Legends game to see our new *home*.
-Carol
 
Headline: New Hockey Arena nears completion
Publish Date: 07/20/1993
By Pardhu Vadlamudi, Staff Reporter.
 
While the seats are still wrapped in plastic and the championship
banners have yet to be unfurled, the new home of Gopher hockey is
nearing completion for a grand opening next month.
 
The new Mariucci Arena is just one part of the overall $41 million
sports facilities project that includes a renovated Williams Arena
and a new Sports Pavilion.
 
The Pavilion, inside the shell of the old Mariucci Arena, will house
women's basketball, volleyball, men's and women's gymnastics and
wrestling.
 
Scott Ellison, program director and manager of the three sports
facilities, said the construction and renovation projects are on
schedule and on budget.
 
``People are going to be pleased with the beautiful sightlines,''
Ellison said. ``It will be a year-round facility.''
 
The project's crown jewel is the new home of Minnesota hockey. The
facility's open-bowl configuration features good sightlines from the
first row to the top row of the concourse level.
 
The arena includes an Olympic-size ice sheet, which will also be used
in the summer when the Twin Cities' Collegiate Development League
moves from Augsburg Arena next summer.
 
The new hockey arena, which seats from 8,200 to 9,700 (including
standing-room tickets), is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 2. The
building's grand opening is slated for Aug. 21 with an alumni legends
game featuring former Gopher greats.
 
The newly renovated Williams Arena will be available to the
volleyball team starting Sept. 17.  This will be the Gophers' final
season in Williams, as they will move to the Sports Pavilion next
year.
 
The Sports Pavilion, with a seating capacity of 5,700, is scheduled
to open on Dec. 1 and will be available to the women's basketball
team and the other Gopher teams.
 
Williams Arena has undergone several phases of reconstruction,
including a six-story addition.
 
Although the overall seating at the remodeled Williams Arena will be
reduced from 16,400 to 14,300, there will be more student seating,
about 2,800 seats, all on the west end of the arena's lower deck.
 
Carol S. White                            BITNET: c-whit@uminn1
University of Minnesota        internet:[log in to unmask]
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(612) 625-8517                                    GO Gophers!!!