Michigan State University trustees are set to vote on a scaled-back version of plans for a 14-acre Spartan Gateway multi-use entertainment district that no longer includes a $150 million arena for Olympic sports.
As reported by CBS affiliate WLNS in Lansing, the university announced in April plans to build the arena, a hotel, private housing, restaurants and office space on the western edge of campus. The 6,000-seat arena would have served non-revenue sports, including volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling.
Gymnastics, for example, currently hosts its meets at 6,000-seat Jenison Field House, where MSU played basketball from the arena’s opening in 1940 until 1989, when games moved to the Breslin Center. The team has been recruiting gymnasts with the pitch of a promised new arena.
The "reenvisioning" was due to evolving athletic facility needs, with the site's scale "more appropriate for the location ultimately selected," according to the proposal written by athletic director J. Batt, and as reported by The Detroit News.
Per WLNS's reporting, plans for the Spartan Gateway district initially focused on building an arena in the southwest portion of campus, but due to “evolving facility needs,” the new plan calls for a more centralized location.
The new plan focuses on “creating a vibrant hub that fosters community and engagement with a stronger focus on retail, office space, dining and housing,” according to documents reviewed by WLNS. “Additionally, we will explore opportunities to utilize existing facilities to support Olympic sports aligning with current strategic priorities.”
University spokesperson Amber McCann said the project will be revisited in a new request for proposal, which would restart the planning process. “The new RFP reflects further assessment of the facilities needs of MSU’s Athletics Department,” McCann said.
She shared with WLNS a statement from executive senior associate athletic director Matt Larson.
“MSU is committed to supporting the holistic needs of all our student-athletes, including the facilities in which they train and compete,” the statement reads. “The department is continuing to explore all options while evaluating our overall facility needs, focusing on broad-based student-athlete impact, including women’s and Olympic sports, strategic return on investment, and fiscal responsibility.”
