A recent report from a group of UNC leaders presents the university with six options for the future home of the men’s basketball program. The university’s Arena Committee has been working with multiple consultants for the past six months to evaluate options to either upgrade or entirely replace the program’s current home, the Dean Smith Center. A final report from the Physical Master Plan Working Group assembled by Chancellor Lee Roberts was delivered to campus leadership on August 1.
Of the six recommendations made by the committee, one is a complete renovation of the Smith Center which would require the team to play off-site during the process. This option would also require the construction of a new training facility for the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs. The current home of the programs, Koury Natatorium, is located adjacent to the Smith Center.
Another option is a Smith Center replacement on the same footprint as the current arena. This would also require the Tar Heels to play off-site during its construction.
Two other options call for the construction of a new arena elsewhere on the UNC campus. The first would be just a few hundred feet away from the Smith Center in the Bowles Parking Lot, located off Skipper Bowles Drive. A document provided by the university states this site would require a non-traditional training layout, the replacement of 620 parking spaces and utility work on a 40-inch storm sewer and campus-wide chilled water line.
The other proposed on-campus site is in the Odum Village area, located near the UNC Hospital off of William Blythe Drive. The document acknowledged this option conflicts with the university’s current Campus Master Plan for land use — although the area has not been used for housing in several years.
In addition, two options call for an off-campus basketball arena. The first would be located in the Friday Center complex off of North Carolina Highway 54, near the Chewning Tennis Center and Finley Golf Club. The document acknowledged this option would require the construction of a parking deck, as well as the relocation of “all existing uses” of the site.
The second off-campus option would see the arena built at the Carolina North site, near the former Horace Williams Airport off of Estes Drive. Though this site is not currently in use, the university said further study of utility infrastructure in the area is needed to quantify construction costs and a schedule.
Neither off-campus site is located within safe walking distance from the UNC campus, though the document states the university is expected to provide bus transit for up to 3,000 on-campus students for each game.
All six options call for a 16,000-seat arena which would not require the development of new mixed-use housing or new roadways — pending further studies on each. The on-campus options would also not require the building of new parking infrastructure.
The next steps for the committee and the university are as follows:
- Finalize a decision resulting from ongoing committee work this fall
- Create a comprehensive stakeholder public communication plan
- Should the Smith Center site become available, proactive planning for site development should be started immediately
The university has taken significant steps in its new arena study this year, including the distribution of an online survey to fans which asked for their input and priorities for the next home of the men’s basketball program. The survey included questions about luxury seats, concessions and other accommodations.
Featured image via Todd Melet
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It would be an act of vandalism to build in Carolina North. This area of tranquility within our city defines Chapel Hill and it deserves a preservation order for eternity
Keep the dome at current site too much history to relocate. Too many memories of incredible dean smith teams.
Why is the Friday Center site even being considered? There is already a conference center over there, and it is actively in use! It’s one thing to consider a piece of land that isn’t currently being used, but one that is, and by UNC employees to boot? Based on what I’ve read in various articles addressing this topic, it seems that many folks would rather UNC renovate the existing Smith Center, or keep it on campus at the very least, mostly out of concern for current on-campus students. I echo these sentiments. UNC needs to listen to and look out for the safety, concerns, and needs of all of those that it serves, student and employee alike.