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Smith Center renovations

Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009 8:12 a.m.

University releases Smith Center photo gallery

by Dan Greene

After Smith Center hosted its first event since renovations began approximately six months ago, the University released an online photo gallery of the arena and its various upgrades yesterday.

The gallery, which can be viewed here, shows the new court floor, revamped pool area, men’s basketball locker room, weight room and sports medicine and academic facilities.

Though most of the construction has been completed, much of the arena’s branding and signage still need to be done, Assistant Director of Athletics for Facilities Jason Wilson said last week, which explains the lack of decoration in many of the gallery photos.

The arena will host its first athletic competition when the women’s volleyball team hosts Rhode Island Oct. 2.

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Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009 3:18 p.m.

First glimpse at renovated Smith Center

by Dan Greene

A panoramic shot inside Smith Center. Viktors Dindzans/Photo Editor

We’re working on getting a full update on the progress of Smith Center’s ongoing renovations, but for now we’d like to offer you a sneak peak via this photo recently snapped by Hatchet Photo Editor Viktors Dindzans (click it for a bigger version). In it you can see (what might be) the new floor – which seems to feature GW’s new-ish, less-yellow color scheme – as well as the new lighting fixtures hanging from the ceiling. Also visible is the space beneath the far seats that will house the new Colonials Club for the program’s top donors.

The current phase of renovations is scheduled to finish this fall, with the arena set to host its first athletic event Oct. 2 when the women’s volleyball team hosts Rhode Island.

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Thursday, June 4, 2009 5:39 p.m.

Men’s basketball to host Oregon State, Providence

by Dan Greene

The GW men’s basketball team will host its first major-conference guests in nine years this upcoming season when Providence and Oregon State visit Smith Center, Director of Athletics Jack Kvancz said this afternoon.

The Oregon State game, which Kvancz said had been in the works for at least two years, comes after continued rumors that the Beavers would make the trip to D.C. Some of this speculation was attributed to the election of President Barack Obama, whose brother-in-law, Craig Robinson, is entering his second year at the helm of Oregon State’s program.

Providence, which the Colonials visited in the 2006-07 season, comes to GW to honor its outstanding contract to complete the home-and-home series. The Friars were also the last team from one of college basketball’s six power conferences to play at Smith Center when they did so in the 2000-01 season.

Kvancz acknowledged that the ongoing Smith Center renovations – which include the replacement of bleachers with fully-backed seats, a new glass-walled club for program donors and revamped locker room areas – may have played a part in securing GW’s opponents.

“It didn’t hurt us, and that’s a plus,” he said. “It’s going to be beautiful.”

Also visiting Smith Center, Kvancz said, will be Princeton and UMBC, in addition to the previously confirmed George Mason. According to Kvancz, the Colonials will open the season at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, whom GW beat in their last NCAA tournament victory in 2006, and travel to East Carolina.

Kvancz said that no tournaments are in the works and that although the remainder of the schedule is not ready to be etched in stone, it is nearing completion.

“For practical senses we’re done,” Kvancz said. “We just don’t have the signed contracts.”

He added that ideally GW would play a full non-conference slate of 13 games, but that he is unsure if they will be able to do so. In a perfect world, Kvancz said, the Colonials would be able to schedule 13 home-and-home series, but that he may need to schedule one or two “buy games” with opponents of much higher or lower quality that will not extend in commitments beyond this season.

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Friday, May 15, 2009 10:09 p.m.

Anonymous donor gives $2 million to Smith Center renovations

by Dan Greene

The University has received a $2 million donation toward the ongoing Smith Center renovations from a donor who chose to remain anonymous, University President Steven Knapp announced this morning at a Board of Trustees meeting.

Laurel Price Jones, vice president for advancement, said this afternoon that the anonymous gift puts fundraising efforts at $6.6 million, past the University’s target of $6 million to secure a matching donation from the Smith-Kogod foundation.

The University had raised approximately $1 million in September and was at the $4.5 million mark in February. Because of the Smith-Kogod matching donations, the University had a total of $9 million in February.

The total cost of renovations, which are scheduled to be completed in 2012, is expected to be $43 million. The Smith-Kogod donation, which is the largest gift in University history, caps at the $10 million mark and the University plans to raise a total of $15 million. The remaining $18 million will be funded by debt, Alicia O’Neil, managing director of the Office of Real Estate, said in September.

Dan Rocha, executive director of athletic development, said the response he has been getting from those he has contacted to secure gifts has been encouraging.

“People are really responding to it because they’re seeing it as the heart of the campus in a lot of ways,” Rocha said. “We’re pretty much where we want to be right now. It’s a three-year campaign… we’re making steady progress.”

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