Hofheinz Pavilion is undergoing a second feasibility study in five years to determine if it should be renovated or torn down and rebuilt.
The results of the study will be known in three months and determine if the 45 year old building is still structurally sound, Athletics Director Mack Rhoades said.
“We’ll have a really good idea (if) renovation smart and what the scope of a renovation could entail. And it could be different phases and what that cost could be versus tearing it down and building new,” Rhoades said.
But a decision could come down to funding. After TDECU Stadium went over budget — it was originally slated to cost $105 million, but could reach $128 million or more — the University will be forced to fundraise more to cover the costs of the renovation or rebuild.
And in Houston, where high demand and a scarcity of construction material is driving up costs to build, Rhoades said he would expect to pay about $10,000 per seat — at least $80 million for an 8,000 seat facility.
“That’s a large price tag to tackle, especially when coming off of a $120 million project. We’ll know more in three months and (the feasibility study) will help guide us to make a smart decision,” Rhoades said.
Absolutely unacceptable. We’re already eight figures over budget with TDECU stadium. Don’t get me wrong I love UH athletics but this is egregious. I would only support something if Hofheinz were actually structurally unsound.
I have a number of questions as a result of this article:
Why is it so high over budget?
Why isn’t the stadium finished yet?
Who’s fault is it that the project is over budget?
Why is it our responsibility to pay that? Shouldn’t the construction Co. liable for an over budget project?
This is rather disappointing news.
I just hope they don’t sell the name of THIS building…
RIP Robertson Stadium
Well then open up your checkbook Tim.
An additional question: why do we need to repeat the feasibility study, and at what cost? Isn’t this indicative of the problem: we didn’t do the first one right and now have to pick up the tab for the second one, which should be redundant?