An architect and contractor will be selected early in 2000. Ground is expected to be broken by the summer of 2000. We will continue planning and designing the facility as we are raising funds. It will be a true multipurpose events center, as Garrett expects the facility to host as many as 125 events annually, including concerts, plays, pageants, cultural events, NCAA playoffs and high school championships in addition to Trojan basketball games and volleyball matches. Besides being the playing and practice site for USC men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams, the new facility also will contain offices and locker rooms for those sports.
Plans also call for the facility to include retail space.
The on-campus events center is part of seven new facilities recently approved by the Board of Trustees. We've talked about it since the days of athletic directors Jess Hill and John McKay, and we're finally going to do it. It will be good for our athletic program and good for the campus. First of all, it will be a tremendous boost to our men's and women's basketball and volleyball programs. USC is the only university in the Pac-10 that doesn't own its own arena, and we have missed out on many prime recruits over the years because of our lack of a facility.