As you may or may not be aware, Georgia Tech is in the process of a complete renovation of its old basketball arena, the former Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Tech alum Hank McCamish donated $15 million for the project, which Tech leveraged to get bond financing to complete the $40mm project (among others), and will henceforth be known as Hank McCamish Pavillion. We got a look at the construction site yesterday and the project is fascinating for both its scale and the 'recycling' that is occurring. Well-known for its boob-like appearance, the original coliseum was built in 1956 and refurbished twice, most recently for the Olympics. Rather than a complete tear down, Tech opted to renovate, maintaining the original steel bones, which are still going strong. The new arena, a collaboration between SG Contracting, Whiting-Turner Contracting and the Populous architecture firm, will have all of the bells and whistles one associates with a modern sports arena and should greatly enhance the fan experience, which was the universty's primary stated goal. We're not sure how the football game is going to work out, but in terms of impressive new campus projects, Tech may have the edge on UGA this year.
· Hank McCamish Pavilion [official Georgia Tech Athletics site]
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