Auburn Arena - Auburn University

Auburn, Ala.
Construction Cost: $66.5 million
Area / Square Feet: 252,000
Occupancy Date: June 2010

At a university where football has long been king, the new Auburn Arena not only creates an exceptional game-time and recruiting advantage for the Tigers' men's and women's basketball and gymnastics teams, it also strengthens the fabric of the campus by integrating seamlessly into the university's Georgian architectural tradition.

The arena features the intimate seating bowl and tight mezzanine level of vintage arenas, with no seat more than 43 feet above the court, and two-thirds less than 27 feet above it. Bleacher-style seating, reserved specifically to accommodate 1,500 students, wraps around three sides of the floor. Premium areas include the Courtside Lounge and club space called the Scholarship Terrace, which offers views to the campus. Unique to the project are the arena’s 12 Tailgate Suites, located under the seating bowl along the outer rim of the building. While they do not offer views to the court, the suites provide direct access to the floor through a club area. The suites also include outdoor patios, and are available for hospitality functions year-round, including football season (hence their name).

Further contributing to the arena’s year-round functionality, its program includes 12,000 square feet of banquet and event space for private rental. Finally, the arena provides year-round access to Auburn Athletics’ new hall of fame and team store.