The University of Idaho achieved a milestone Thursday, when ground was broken on the upcoming Idaho Central Credit Union Arena.
In what will be a boost to its athletic facilities, Idaho is starting construction on a new arena that will be primarily used by its men’s and women’s basketball programs. The $51 million Idaho Central Credit Union Arena will offer a capacity of 4,200, with the ability to host some non-Idaho-basketball offerings, including concerts, high school events, and more.
The university is planning to complete the arena by fall 2021, and took a step toward that goal with Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony. More from the Moscow-Pullman Daily News:
“This is gonna be a game-changer for athletics,” UI interim athletic director Pete Isakson said. “We’re going to have the best facility in the Big Sky Conference. We’re going to be able to recruit to this like no other place we’ve been and we’re going to have an environment like you’ve never seen.”
Isakson said Idaho has raised $43 million of the $51 million needed for the project with private donations. He said fundraising is ongoing, but some of the project could be funded with government bonds.
“For the most part, everything we’re doing now is going to be donations,” Isakson said. “But we will probably end up bonding the end of it, whether that will be $3 million, $4 million or $5 million, we will just have to wait until we get there.”
The on-campus arena will be built on the north side of the Kibble Dome, an existing multi-use facility. Currently the basketball programs split games between Cowan Spectrum–located within the Kibble Dome–and the 91-year-old Memorial Gym.
Rendering courtesy University of Idaho.
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