Rupp Arena to serve as primary home venue for UK athletics next season

LEXINGTON, Ky. (KT) -- Memorial Coliseum will be empty next season as the historic venue undergoes an $82 million renovation.

The women's basketball and volleyball games, along with most gymnastics matches, will be held at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. The Clive M. Beck Center at Transylvania University will be the Wildcats' home venue when events aren't held at Rupp Arena because of prior commitments such as concerts and recreational events.

Memorial Coliseum was completed in 1950 and was built as a memorial to those who died in World War II and other wars such as the Korean and the Vietnam War. The renovation also will include a renovated memorial. The original structure was completed at a cost of $4 million and served as home for the men's basketball team from 1950-76.

"It's a complicated deal. You've got the roof, restrooms ... it's a facility that just needs a lot of work," Kentucky Atheltics Director Mitch Barnhart told the Lexington Herald-Leader last fall. "It's not been easy, and then you got into the COVID time-space, and that set us back ... and then the supply chain changed. Having to get our arms around all of those pieces to be able to walk forward has been a really big challenge."

The upgrades include all of the building interior and bring climate-control improvements; modern seating for campus, community and athletic events; systems-related upgrades such as life safety, security, lighting and sound; and improve the facility overall experience for the female student-athletes.

The current building has served the University for more than seven decades. The goal is to upgrade a facility that will move Wildcat Athletics forward in the future.

The renovation process for Memorial Coliseum renovation project has begun. The plan is for the athletic competition areas to be ready for use in the fall of 2024 as additional areas are being completed.