In the midst of ongoing athletic facilities upgrades, the University of Kentucky says it will address the condition of basketball’s Joe Craft Center.
There has been a slew of new and/or renovated facilities unveiled recently for the Wildcats, with a new ballpark for the baseball program highlighting the latest additions. Though there is no official plan in place, athletic director Mitch Barnhart and men’s basketball coach John Calipari say that the Joe Craft Center is one of their next priorities. The practice facility first opened in 2007, and is due for some enhancements. More from the Courier-Journal:
“We’ve always taken care of basketball here at a pretty high level.” Barnhart said at a press conference to announce construction plans for the new UK baseball stadium Monday.
“So, the basketball piece as it relates to both men’s and women’s basketball on the north side, we’ve got to make sure we address that, and that’s coming pretty quickly.”
That, of course, is exactly what Calipari wants and needs to hear. Constantly proclaiming Kentucky the “gold standard,” of college basketball, Calipari says it’s time to make the Joe Craft Center, opened in 2007, a “more modern,” facility.
In addition there are some other basketball-related projects in the works. The university is proposing an upgrade to the Wildcat Coal Lodge, the residence hall for the men’s basketball team, and there has been talk in some circles about building a new on-campus arena. However the university recently said it was in negotiations to finalize a lease extension for Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington.
