What a new arena means for HPU basketball teams
By Collin Giuliani// Sports Editor
On Sept. 22, in front of a crowd of 2,000 people, High Point University officially broke ground on the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena, Conference Center and Hotel. The building, which will cost $120 million, will be the most expensive building built in the history of HPU.
“This is one of the greatest days, I think, in the history of High Point University,” said men’s basketball Head Coach Tubby Smith, who played at High Point College from 1969-73 and won a national championship as the head coach of Kentucky in 1998. “It’s a real privilege and honor to be leading this basketball program at this time in history.”
The arena, which was first announced in 2016, will hold 4,500 spectators, which is nearly triple the capacity of the Millis Center (1,750). The new arena will be the home of both the men’s and women’s basketball programs beginning in the 2020-21 season. Along with the increased capacity, the new stadium will house a weight room, press conference room, locker rooms and a practice gym. The arena will also feature suites, concession stands, a ticket office, an athletic training room and a merchandising area.
The arena will be located behind Vert Stadium where the former intramural fields were. This is the fifth athletic facility either built or significantly renovated by HPU since 2007, alongside Vert Stadium (2007), Williard Stadium (2007), the Witcher Athletic Center (2014) and the Steele Sports Center (2014).
One month before, on Aug. 27, HPU announced that Samet Corp. and Christman Company would be the contractors for the arena. This is not HPU’s first experience with this company; previously, Samet Corp. and Christman Company were hired to construct Blessing Hall, York Hall and University Village. Most recently, the company constructed Cottrell Hall, which opened during the 2015-16 academic year. Samet Corp. and Christman Company have built multiple athletic venues, including BB&T Ballpark (a 5,500 seat baseball venue that hosts the Winston-Salem Dash of the Carolina League) and First National Bank Field (a 7,499 seat baseball venue that hosts the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the South Atlantic League). Additionally, the company is currently constructing the $30 million baseball venue in downtown High Point for the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League.
The conference center will have the ability to hold 2,500 people, and the hotel will have 30-40 rooms, as well as a dining room. The facility will support the university’s proposed hospitality management program, as well as serve as a learning lab for the event management majors.
“What really meant so much to me,” said Nido Qubein, president of HPU, “is acknowledging that the future of our students and the future of this university is going to be richer and better because we’re adding facilities that are purposeful, that are on merit, that aren’t frivolous, and that serve in preparing our students for a life filled with success and framed with significance.”