USM To Upgrade Arena

Athletic director Bill McGillis says the project likely would cost up to $45 million. He says how it would be funded, as well as a timetable for the project and its completion, have not been determined.

McGillis wants to see the 8,000-capacity basketball arena upgraded into a multipurpose facility that can better serve the region’s needs.

Planned changes would actually reduce seating to between 6,000 and 7,000. The school released architectural renderings that show an updated façade, new box office, revamped seating configurations with all-chairback seats, concessions, restrooms and club seating option, according to the Hattiesburg American.

“We get very few concerts here,” McGillis said. “We get very few family shows, very few large-scale evnts. It’s because the coliseum can’t serve those events. We play baseketball in the coliseum 15 to 20 times a year. That’s 300-plus more opportunities a year to host events.”