Paige Sports Arena might soon be known by another name. Bill and Nancy Laurie have transferred the naming rights of the new $75-Million dollar basketball arena back to the University of Missouri. The announcement comes as the controversy surrounding Paige Laurie intensifies. Paige Laurie has been accused by her former roommate of cheating her way through the University of Southern California. The roommate claims Laurie paid her $20,000 to do classwork while the two attended USC. Those allegations came to light Friday during an ABC newsmagazine 20-20 story. USC has launched its own investigation. University of Missouri President Elson Floyd and University of Missouri-Columbia Chancellor Brady Deaton announced late Tuesday afternoon that the Laurie family is transferring to the university the naming rights to the new MU basketball arena. The Lauries, heirs to the Wal Mart fortune, secured the naming rights after donating $25-Million dollars toward its financing. They named it after their only daughter. Their business is also named after Paige. The university says the Lauries’ decision was reached voluntarily. “We continue to be grateful to the Laurie family for their long-time support of MU in academics and athletics,” MU Chancellor Brady Deaton said. “Their generosity is helping us build a nationally renowed research university and a sports complex that will serve our student-athletes at the highest level. We respect their decision in this matter, and we will make a naming recommendation in the near future.”
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