Liberty University is setting the stage for the construction of a new venue, as it has announced details on the upcoming Liberty Arena.
Under the plan unveiled by the university, the new 125,000-square-foot, multiuse arena will be designed to accommodate several athletic programs. That slate will include men’s and women’s basketball, as well as volleyball. It will offer 4,000 seats–a mix that includes loge, bleacher, and club options–with the ability to expand to 4,500 when seats are placed on the floor.
The concept for the new Liberty Arena calls for providing a more intimate atmosphere for certain sporting events. This will allow the university to make use of both its new arena as well as the existing 10,000-seat Vines Center, which will continue to be used for larger events. More from The News & Advance:
“The primary need for this facility is to eliminate countless man hours and resources setting up and tearing down the stage and floor seating to accommodate both convocation and sports events. This arena will allow us to leave the convocation stage in place for much longer periods of time since sports events will not need the Vines Center except on special occasions,” Trey Falwell, vice president of university operations, wrote via email.
He added a smaller arena will make for a more exciting fan experience at events that draw 2,000 or 3,000 fans compared to seeing an athletic contest in the Vines Center, which can accommodate 9,500-plus attendees for basketball games and more for convocation, according to LU’s website.
Jerry Falwell Jr. made a similar statement at Wednesday’s Town and Gown meeting.
“It’s more exciting when you have a small arena packed out than a big arena half full,” he said.
The new Liberty Arena is currently expected to open in 2020, with construction beginning this fall. It will be constructed on campus, at a location between Arthur S. DeMoss Hall and the Vines Center. Vines Center will still be used for sporting events that are expected to draw a crowd larger than Liberty Arena’s capacity.
Rendering courtesy Liberty University.
