A new Baylor basketball arena is included in a $1.1 billion fundraising campaign, as Baylor University seeks a replacement for the Ferrell Center.
Baylor had been exploring its long-term options for the Ferrell Center, which opened in 1988 and, per the university, is its “oldest intercollegiate athletics facility on campus.” A potential new arena is one of the major components of the recently announced $1.1 billion Give Light: The Campaign for Baylor, a fundraising initiative that aims to address several needs for athletics and the university as a whole.
Among the highlights of the campaign are a new welcome center, as well as the new arena. The current plans for the venue call for it to offer a more intimate atmosphere than the Ferrell Center, as Baylor is planning for the new facility to have a smaller seating capacity. More from the Waco Tribune-Herald:
Known as “Give Light: The Campaign for Baylor,” the plan calls for $500 million in new endowed funds, $300 million for capital projects and another $300 million in general funds. One of the most visible aspects will be a new visitor center at the corner of Interstate 35 and University Parks Drive, the former site of the Ivy Square shopping center.
Baylor administrators are also setting the table for a new basketball facility to replace the Ferrell Center. The new facility would have 6,500 to 7,000 seats, Vice President for Advancement David Rosselli said. That represents about a 3,000 seat decrease from the Ferrell Center, which has hosted basketball games since 1988.
The new arena is not the only athletic facility improvement that is in the works. In addition, Baylor is also planning the construction of a new football operations center as well as a practice venue for its volleyball, acrobatics, and tumbling programs.
Rendering courtesy Baylor University.
