BWA updates: new roof in 4-5 weeks + reno timeline

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A roughly $150 million renovation to Bud Walton Arena is still part of the department’s plans, but it remains on the “side burner,” Yurachek said Thursday.

Though a large-scale project is still roughly 3 to 5 years away from happening, some deferred maintenance is imminent. Items on that list are being “chipped away at,” including replacing the arena’s roof beginning within the next 4 to 5 weeks.

Yurachek said the department will “probably dust off” the fundraising campaign in 2 to 3 years, after the University of Arkansas concludes its 3-year, $200 million Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign.

“We've got a great design for [the full] renovation,” Yurachek said. “But as we were getting ready to go out to the marketplace, the university was entering into a $200 million capital campaign at the same time, and I felt it was disingenuous for us to step on the toes of their campaign and to go out and approach many of the same donors for our campaign.”

Other deferred maintenance needed includes replacing the playing court, HVAC system repairs and plumbing and electrical system work. As of last year, those costs were estimated between $50 million and $60 million.

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