Curators Approve New Arena For Mizzou

The University of Missouri wants to build a new basketball arena. With donors pledging 27-million dollars, the university’s board of curators has approved financial plans for a 75-million dollar arena to be built near the Hearnes Center in Columbia. Chancellor Richard Wallace says the University will ask the Missouri General Assembly for financial help, in the form of 35-million dollars in revenue bonds. The rest of the money would be raised through donations or from within the athletic department. Missouri athletic director Mike Alden says with legislative approval, the facility could be open by 2003 or 2004. The new arena would seat 15,000 to 17,000 people, and would be home to the men’s and women’s basketball programs. Other sports would remain at the Hearnes Center.