Tiffany Coppage: Extra Credit

The Highly Anticipated JQH Arena Boast Numerous Upgrades

In December of 2006, construction workers broke ground on what is soon to become the new basketball arena for Missouri State. Over the past 8 months workers have been working extremely hard and extremely fast to complete the state of the art building by its deadline of the 2008-2009 basketball season. What is now just a big hole in the ground with 4 concrete walls and support beams in the middle, will soon develop into a $67 million dollar first class facility. “I can’t wait to see the girls play on that new floor. New coaches, new players, and a new arena; next years going to be one never to forget”, says a Missouri state basketball fan.

Currently, Missouri State houses basketball, volleyball, swimming, concerts and other community events in the Hammons student center located directly west of the new arena site. It was built in the late 70’s and used for the first time in the 1976-1977 basketball season. No small raggedy piece of work, the Hammons student center was eye candy for athletes as well, with a seating capacity of 8,846 people. Players like Jacque Stiles ran the floors of this facility and made history. The court has seating on all four sides with the court sitting at the bottom of the bowl and also 4 practice gyms. Athletics and building administration offices, coaches’ offices, lounges, and varsity sized locker rooms also occupy the building, but now the university is ready to go bigger and better. The new arena will mainly be for basketball and community events since volleyball and other sports have chosen to stay in Hammons Student Center.

The JQH Arena is named after the main contributor to the facility and Springfield’s biggest hotel developer, John Q Hammons, who committed to give $30 million dollars. The new facility will top every aspect of the old one starting with its seating capacity. JQH Arena will seat more than 11,000 people, house a state of the art score board, have private suites, 100 lodge seats, 55 courtside seats, a hall of fame, souvenirs shop, ticket office, and a 4,500 square foot club. In addition to those things, the new arena will more than double the amount of restrooms, almost double concessions, triple point-of-sale locations, and triple the number of elevators. The design also leaves room for expansion in seating, locker rooms, offices, and training rooms.

Julie Wright, the administrative secretary for the athletics department says that they were trying to keep the cost as low as possible, so they put the new things in first, and will put things that can wait in later. The main thing that she was speaking of is the locker rooms. “As of now, the teams will still use the locker rooms in the Hammons Student Center, but we are still hoping a big contributor will donate what is needed in order to have it ready with the rest of the facility”, says Wright.

The dedicatory game is scheduled to be held on the 22nd of November against the Arkansas Razorbacks. In December of 1976, the Razorbacks defeated the Bears in a 72-71 victory, which was also the Bear’s first home game in the Hammons Student Center, so tradition carries on.

Fans are anxious to get into the new arena and they are showing it through ticket sales. Ticket sales for the 2008-2009season began in June of this year. Already, all 22 private suites have been leased and more than 1400 season tickets have been purchased. Prices in season seating vary but it ranges from as low as $50 dollar assessments up to $5000 dollar assessments. The opening of the new arena is highly anticipated and from the looks and sounds of it, it will truly be a sight to see.