Facility Friday: Legacy Plaza at Beaver Stadium, New Kalamazoo Arena and Event Center, Fifth Third Arena Hockey Facility Expansion, Pinewood Prep's Osborne Athletic Center

Tabatha Wethal Headshot
Legacy Plaza At Beaver Stadium Penn State
Courtesy of Penn State Nittany Lions

Pennsylvania State University athletics has announced the addition of the all-new Legacy Plaza, which is scheduled to be completed before the 2023 football season. The Legacy Plaza will be located on Curtin Road, next to the famed south endzone tunnel.

The Plaza will showcase plaques from every season and include each team's schedule, results and team captains.

The area will honor the rich history of Penn State Football, which includes 136 seasons, 920 total wins (8th all-time), two national championships, 13 undefeated seasons, 52 bowl appearances (10th), 31 bowl wins (T-4th), 101 first-team All-Americans, 30 national award winners and a Heisman Trophy winner.

Fans will have the opportunity to leave their own legacy and be a part of Penn State history by ordering a paver to be displayed in Legacy Plaza. Pavers will come in three different sizes, with or without a logo. — Penn State Nittany Lions


Rendering of a planned arena and event center in downtown Kalamazoo, Mich.Rendering of a planned arena and event center in downtown Kalamazoo, Mich.Courtesy of Southwest Michigan First

Plans have been revealed for a new arena in downtown Kalamazoo, along with details about the developer’s commitments meant to benefit the surrounding area.

Southwest Michigan First and Catalyst Development Co. have plans to construct a more than 320,000-square-foot facility with capacity to host more than 230 events per year while generating over $54 million of annual economic impact regionally, Southwest Michigan First said in a news release.

In addition to hosting a wide variety of community events, conventions, and family shows, the event center is designed to support programming for local and community user groups, such as Western Michigan University (WMU) Athletics and the Kalamazoo Wings.

Early design concepts have included a primary arena, practice space for basketball and hockey teams, multi-purpose areas, abundant parking, and more.

The plan was presented to the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners o, March 21. The board discussed a purchase agreement with Catalyst for the county’s land downtown that would enable the development to move forward. — Firstand42.mediaMLive.com


The Chicago Blackhawks have struck a deal with Rush University Medical Center to acquire a seven-acre site next to the team’s Fifth Third Arena hockey facility, where the team plans to build a $65-million, two-rink expansion of its Near West Side hockey venue, reported Crain’s Chicago Business. 

The land sale agreement would spur a 135,000-square-foot development to double the size of the Hawks’ hockey complex on the block and add a new venue for the team and youth hockey players near the United Center.

Under the plan, the Blackhawks would pay $23.5 million for the site at 303 S. Damen Ave., immediately west of the existing Fifth Third Arena that opened in 2017. The deal needs the City Council’s sign-off because it changes the redevelopment plan the city agreed to in 2015, when it sold part of the former Malcolm X College property to Rush and the remainder to the Blackhawks.  — Connect Media 


Pinewood Preparatory School in Summerville, S.C., hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 17 for its recently completed athletic center.

During the event, officials announced the facility has been named in honor of the Pinewood Prep coach Gail Osborne.

During the event, tours of the Osborne Athletic Center were given to those in attendance.

The center includes a brand new weight room, athletic training and office space, boys and girls locker rooms, rest rooms, concession stand, lounge and observation deck that overlooks Knight Family Field where the school hosts its home games for football, soccer and lacrosse.

The lounge and observation deck, also known as the End Zone Club, is named in honor of Pinewood Head of School Dan Seiden.

During her 19 seasons at Pinewood, Osborne has led the Lady Panthers' soccer team to nine state-championship appearances and a total of six state titles. Pinewood is the two-time defending SCISA AAA state champion and didn’t have any seniors last season so it is the favorite to capture the championship this season. — The Summerville Journal Scene



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