Athletics Facilities Upgrades to Improve Experience for Athletes, Fans
Renovations to Arizona Stadium's restrooms, concession areas and seating in ZonaZoo are scheduled to be ready by the Sept. 1 home opener against BYU. This rendering illustrates upgrades to the stadium's east concourse.
This rendering shows Hillenbrand Aquatic Center's new pool and diving well. The upgrades, expected to complete in January, also include an upgraded plumbing system.
Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium, the home of Wildcats Softball, is expected to have upgraded seating and amenities by the beginning of next season in February. Upgrades include covered stands, pictured in this rendering.
This rendering shows the new, climate-controlled multipurpose facility, known as the Indoor Sports Center, which is expected to be complete by January at the corner of East Sixth Street and National Championship Drive.
Crews have been working through the summer to complete renovations to several of the UA's athletics facilities, and fans will be able to reap the benefits of those changes as early as this weekend.
The projects include updates to Arizona Stadium's east side, Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium, McKale Memorial Center's locker rooms, and construction of an indoor sports center.
Here's an overview of the projects, and what they'll mean for student-athletes and fans.
Arizona Stadium
Improvements to Arizona Stadium's east side will come in phases, with the first scheduled to be completed before the Wildcats' home opener against Brigham Young University on Saturday. That phase includes renovations to restrooms, concession areas and seating in ZonaZoo. Changes also will provide easier access to the new concessions from south end zone seating.
Several new food vendors will be open in the stadium, including:
- Eegee's in nearly all concourse areas.
- Epic Cafe in the east concourse's seventh and fourth levels, in the south end zone concourse, and on the west concourse's second and fourth levels.
- BrushFire BBQ Co. in the east concourse's fourth level.
Beer and wine – new offerings at Arizona Stadium – will be available in all concession areas. But the only place where food, beer and wine will be sold together is in the southeast corner of the stadium.
Other changes:
- A new retail store in the southeast corner.
- The stadium's gates have been reduced and renumbered, down to a total of eight from 18. Fireworks will go off every time the Wildcats score.
Watch live construction of the stadium here.
Hillenbrand Aquatic Center
The renovations to Hillenbrand Aquatic Center include rebuilding and expanding the pool, from 50 meters long to 65 meters, and replacing the diving well. The larger pool will allow the number of short course practice lanes to expand from 18 to 22.
The project also includes replacing and upgrading the pool's pump room, filtration system and plumbing infrastructure. The center also will get a new entryway and upgraded team areas.
Construction can be watched live here, and is expected to be completed by January.
Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium
The home of Wildcats Softball is undergoing renovations that will provide major updates to seating and amenities. The work is expected to be completed by February, in time for the 2019 softball season. Among the changes are new shaded stands, new restrooms, new concession areas and other amenities.
Watch live construction of the facility here.
Indoor Sports Center
A new facility is in the works at the corner of East Sixth Street and National Championship Drive, on the former site of Jerry Kindall Field at Frank Sancet Stadium, just east of Arizona Stadium.
The climate-controlled multipurpose facility will include a 90-yard indoor field with a 10-yard end zone, and will provide a safe training area for football and other sports amid Tucson's extreme heat and monsoon lightning storms.
Additionally, a monument at the facility will honor renowned Arizona baseball coaches Jerry Kindall and Frank Sancet and the former baseball stadium that once stood on the site of the new building. Kindall led the Wildcats to three national titles between 1976 and 1986, and Sancet coached the team from 1950 to 1972.
The center is expected to be completed by January. Watch live construction of the facility here.
McKale Memorial Center locker rooms
Nearly $2 million in renovations will bring new locker rooms to McKale Memorial Center for men's golf, soccer, men's tennis and women's track and field and cross-country. The work will include remodeled locker rooms for women's swimming and diving and men's track and field and cross-country.
The work is expected to be completed by September.