Tarleton breaks ground on new event center

This article is from the September edition of the Texan News Service.

12/06/2023 12:14 PM

BY JOLEE SKINNER / Managing Editor

Tarleton State University breaks ground on a new $110 million multipurpose center.

Tarleton made history on Aug. 22 by breaking ground on the new multipurpose arena that will be used for future Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Division I basketball games and future campus events.

The groundbreaking comes after the Texas A&M System Board of Regents approved the $110 million dollar budget and approved construction for the two-story multipurpose center back in May.

According to Tarleton Athletics, the future event center will have state-of-the-art NCAA Division I facilities for the basketball teams. It will have about 10,000 seats for special events like concerts and will have about 8,000 seats for future basketball games.

The multipurpose center will also hold city events like conferences and conventions.

In attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony was Tarleton President Dr. Hurley, First Lady Kendall Hurley and the Chancellor of Texas A&M System John Sharp.

Dr. Hurley thanked the Texas A&M System Board of Regents and specifically thanked Chancellor Sharp for this opportunity.

“We would not be standing here today without the commitment of John Sharp.” Hurley said.

Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletic for Tarleton Lonn Reisman spoke and reminded the audience that Barry Thompson, Former President of Tarleton and Chancellor of Texas A&M, had envisioned this moment 35 years ago.

“Tarleton is showing the state, the country and the world where dreams become a reality,” Reisman said.

The ceremony also had prominent guests attend like Texas Representative Shelby Slawson, Tarleton alumni and Texas Representative DeWayne Burns and Stephenville Mayor Doug Svien.

Makayla Schweitzer is an Agriculture education major and is set to graduate in 2025 when the center is complete.

“I’m so excited to graduate in this new venue,” Schweitzer said. “It will be more beneficial for future graduates and their families to be able to come and watch graduation.”