The University of Alabama is considering the future of Coleman Coliseum, with a major renovation of the venue being among the possibilities.
Home to multiple athletic programs, including men’s and women’s basketball, Coleman Coliseum has served the university since its opening in 1968. While it has received some renovations during its history, Coleman Coliseum is currently among the oldest venues in the SEC, and Alabama is considering its future.
In a recent radio interview on WJOX-FM, Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne said that the university has hired an architectural firm to study the future of Coleman Coliseum. There is still some work to do before the university will be able to move forward with a firm plan, but Byrne noted some of the possibilities that Coleman Coliseum could offer when it comes to a renovation. More from AL.com:
In a Monday interview with WJOX-FM, Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne said they’ve hired an architectural firm to look at the future of the multipurpose arena on campus.
“They have been studying Coleman and weighing building a new arena versus renovating Coleman,” Byrne said on the 3 Man Front program. “It’s not done by any stretch but right now, it is certainly looking like a renovation. We can get a lot done for the dollar figured compared to building a new arena but we’re still not all the way to the finish line on that.”
The 50-year old building his home also to both the Alabama basketball programs and gymnastics team. Seating 15,383, the complex is outdated from a revenue-generating standpoint. The last major renovation came in 2005-06……
“What we do know is the bones of Coleman Coliseum, the footprint of Coleman Coliseum is very good,” Byrne told WJOX. “That’s something you can build around. We have some early concepts –not what we’re ready to come out publicly with at this point — but we are looking at those and trying to get a little bit down the path financially.”
In its last major renovation, Coleman Coliseum received several changes that affected the fan and player experiences. That included seating replacements and renovated lobbies and concourses for fans, with changes to the locker rooms and support facilities being among the behind-the-scenes improvements.
