Vermont Business Magazine - The University of Vermont's Board of Trustees was presented with a new concept to house a new Multipurpose Event Center on campus. Plans were considered to move the Event Center off campus to either downtown Burlington or to So Burlington's new downtown location.
According to a press release submitted by UVM's communications office, the need to upgrade and expand our facilities to better accommodate UVM’s health, fitness, wellness, academic, cultural, social, athletic, events, and related programs has been discussed for years.
In 2007, the UVM Board appointed its own Campus Life Task Force to conduct a detailed assessment of what is needed.
The Task Force Report was issued in 2009, concluding that fully meeting the programmatic and facilities needs outlined above would cost nearly $200 million. Link to that report is here:http://www.uvm.edu/trustees/cltfII/Final_Report_May-2009.pdf
The concept being considered today reflects the principles of the Campus Life Task Force Report, and moves the University ahead significantly in terms of meeting the needs of our students and our University community.
The proposed concept includes a significantly lower cost than was contemplated in 2009, and allows our facilities to remain fully on campus in an imaginative, integrated, student-centered fashion.
The original cost for the project was around $200 million. The projected cost of the new plan was significantly lower, coming in at a projected $80 Million.
Hignlights of the new On-Campus Event Center are:
— Dramatically enhances and consolidates health and wellness space.
— New health/wellness zone is created.
— Dedicated student health/wellness space increases from 15,000 sq. ft. to 86,000 (a more than five-fold increase).
— Creates a true multipurpose center that includes health, wellness, academic, social, cultural and athletic programming elements.
— Maintains two separate on-campus facilities for hockey and basketball and campus/community events.
— The venerable Gutterson is preserved, improved and remains the home of UVM Hockey.
— A new, properly sized Events Center is built to house academic, social, cultural and entertainment events as well as basketball practice and competition.
— Events Center and Gutterson are integrated.
— Addresses long-standing deferred maintenance issues.
— Improves internal circulation.
— Highly efficient concept that includes significant re-use of existing space and limited new construction to dramatically enhance campus health and wellness and position varsity sports program for sustained competitive excellence.
— Seating capacity:
- New Events Center: Game layout: 3,241; Event layout: 3,989
- Gutterson Fieldhouse: Game layout: 4,350; Event layout: 6,328
Timeframe: Assuming Board approval and funding in place, construction scheduled to begin early 2019.
According to UVM, this concept is realistic, achievable and, very importantly, allows UVM’s programs and facilities to remain on campus under the control and ownership of the University.
Mayor Weinberger released the following statement today regarding UVM’s plan for its arena project:
“The process of exploring a possible UVM use of a redeveloped Memorial Auditorium site was collaborative, professional, and productive for both sides. I congratulate UVM for making a clear and thoughtful decision and wish them good fortune with their plans. As with many University initiatives, UVM’s success with this important undertaking will be the City’s success as well.
“UVM reaching a timely decision about the best future for their athletics programs is clarifying, and our work with them has helped us understand the potential and the challenges of our site. The urgency and focus that new Athletic Director Jeff Schulman brought to the process was welcome and very helpful to both institutions. The City will now move forward over the course of 2017 with our original plan for an inclusive, competitive RFP for the Gateway Block that includes a robust public process.