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Wayne State University Athletics

Basketball Arena Facility Rendering (May 2019)

Men's Basketball Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Wayne State Announces Plans To Build New Basketball Arena

Initial renderings of the new arena.
DETROIT -- Wayne State University's Board of Governors approved today plans for the construction of a $25 million arena for Wayne State's men's and women's basketball teams on the west side of its athletic complex.  The approved plan includes construction of a 70,000 square-foot arena near the intersection of Warren and Trumbull avenues with seating capacity for approximately 3,000 fans, office space and locker room areas for both WSU's men's and women's basketball teams, a concessions area and other ancillary spaces.  The arena will be ready for play in the 2021-2022 basketball season.

"Our outstanding student-athletes have played basketball at Wayne State for a century, but never in an arena facility designed for basketball," said Kim Trent, chair of WSU Board of Governors.  "I am thrilled that they will soon have the best amenities around.  A special thanks to Governor Sandy Hughes-O'Brien who has been a passionate proponent of this project."

For more than 50 of the 100 years, Wayne State basketball games have been played in the Matthaei Center, which was constructed in 1965 as part the city's bid to bring the 1968 Olympics to Detroit.  At the time the Matthaei was constructed, Wayne State University did not sponsor any women's athletic programs, and today lacks the infrastructure to properly accommodate the athletic teams and the increase in additional student activities.  Seating capacity in the new facility will more than double the current 1,131 capacity of Matthaei's main gym.
 
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Director of Athletics Rob Fournier speaks to the media during a press conference on Wednesday.

The new arena will be a game-changer for the Wayne State University athletic program by placing the program in a stronger position within the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference while positively impacting the entire student body.  Combined with the Matthaei Center – the university will now have two facilities for intramural athletic participation creating increased scheduling flexibility and growth opportunities for the school's intramural sports programming.

"We are excited about the opportunities that will be created for our student-athletes and our greater student body with the addition of this new venue and a great partnership with the Detroit Pistons," said WSU President, M. Roy Wilson.  "One of the overlooked advantages of attending Wayne State is the opportunity to get practical experience with great businesses in our community – like the Detroit Pistons.  With this new partnership, the opportunities will prove even richer."

The Detroit Pistons are supporting Wayne State's efforts to maximize usage of the new facility through a basketball partnership that would include bringing an NBA G League Affiliate to Detroit and playing its home games in the new WSU arena.  The organization will also work with Wayne State officials to host Pistons summer camps and clinics, possible MHSAA state high school games, AAU games and other basketball tournaments in the new basketball arena.

The G League serves as the NBA's developmental league preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers and front- office staff for NBA positions while acting as the league's research and development laboratory.
 
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The proposed site off Warren Avenue on the athletic campus.

As another key aspect of the partnership, the Pistons intend to work with the university to create academic programming and internship opportunities for Wayne State students in areas such as sports marketing, physical therapy, rehabilitation and sports and entertainment business operations.  The goal is to establish real world work experience opportunities for those interested in careers within the sports industry

"The fans of Wayne State basketball have waited a long time for this announcement and its promise for the university, our students, and our basketball programs," said Rob Fournier, Wayne State University Director of Athletics.  "Our partnership with the Pistons will be transformational -- from our shared association, to the means to advance more opportunities in the Matthaei Building for our campus, to creating a basketball setting that underscores a mutual objective to make Detroit a basketball destination."

 
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