Features
SFC Ramps Up Renovation
The seats barely had time to cool after the University of Illinois at Champaign’s final basketball game of the season at the 17,300-capacity State Farm Center when they were torn out March 5 to kick off the final phase of a $169.5 million renovation.
Photo: facebook.com/StateFarmCenter
A rendering
The fourth and final phase of work will be “comprehensive and difficult,” Warren Hood, Illini senior associate athletic director, told the News-Gazette. Work will be under way 20 hours a day, six days a week at the venue, and is expected to be completed in December.
The renovation will clear out old seats, rebuild the lower bowl, add suites, two clubs, new restrooms and concessions, and build out entrances on two sides of the arena, according to the paper.
The last concert at State Farm Center was Darius Rucker in January 2014. Venue director Kevin Ullestad told the paper the arena will reopen for concerts and other shows in fall 2016.
“We’ll be back with a vengeance in bringing back national touring shows and will be aggressive as always in bringing them here,” Ullestad told the News-Gazette. “There’s been a huge void the past couple years without the big shows. We realize the market will be very anxious and we’re excited to show off the new facility. It will be incredible.”