The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 16, 2002, Image 7
New Carolina Center nears completion
BY WILL KING
THE GAMECOCK
Tom Paquette is as excited
as any new father. His baby,
however, is an 18,000-seat are
na, not an eight-pound infant.
Paquette is the general
manager of the new “Carolina
Center,” and during an open
house for the new arena on
Aug. 4, he was proud to tell
others about his “child.”
“This is the smallest 18,000
seat arena I have ever been in.
The seats are close to the play
ing surface and it will be a
^ ud arena. Coach Odom and
Coach Walvius will love it,”
Paquette said when asked
what he liked best about the
arena.
Two other features Paquette
was quick to mention were the
new multi-million dollar cen
ter-mounted scoreboard with
high definition replay screens
and the new student seating.
“Adding student seating has
always been an advantage to
building a new arena and it
has been a part of the design
since the start,” Paquette said.
The Carolina Center, ac
cording to officials, is cur
rently on schedule and should
be completed by the end of
^ctober.
i
Global Spectrum, a
Philadelphia-based company,
is the managing corporation
of the arena. Global Spectrum
runs 32 facilities worldwide
such as the First Union Center
in Philadelphia, the
University of Miami
Convocation Center and
Williams-Brice Stadium.
“This will be a premier fa
cility in the Southeast. We are
in a very competitive market
in the Carolinas with
Charlotte, the Bi-Lo Center in
Greenville and the North
Charleston Coliseum,”
Paquette said. “Columbia now
has the size arena needed to
compete in this market.”
Although the Carolina
Center will be the home of
Gamecock basketball, it won’t
be used just for sporting
events. “We are going to have
many concerts of all different
types,” Paquette said. “This
will be a full service arena
from basketball to concerts to
family shows.”
When asked about rumors
concerning graduation held in
the new arena, Paquette ex
plained what he knew of the
situation.
“Right now we have future
calendar dates on hold for the
♦ ARENA, SEE PAGE 9
PHOTO BY ROBERT GRUEN/ THE GAMECOCK
The Carolina Center, still under construction, will have state-of-the-art features when finished.
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK
FITNESS CENTER
OPENS IN SPRING
BY BEN BRYAN
THE 0AMKC0CK
Although college is primarily
an opportunity to exercise one’s
mind, some students find it just
as important to exercise their
bodies.
The Strom Thurmond Fitness
aruj Wellness Center will offer
many recreational opportunities
to students wishing to work out,
compete in intramural sports or
just stay fit.
Director of Campus
Recreation Herbert Camp said,
“The new center will be finishei
in early spring, but we haven’
set a grand opening date or any
thing like that.”
The l92,000 square-foot faci]
ity will provide many of the ac
tivities offered in the Blatt P.E
Center. It will also feature som
amenities that were not avail
able before, including a few tha
are very unique.
“The climbing wall is the onl;
one of its type in the Southeast,
Camp said. The wall can actual
♦ FITNESS, SEE PAGE 8
Four Greek organizations move to Village
BY BEN BRYAN
THE GAMECOCK
The Greek Village will open its
doors for the 2002-2003 academic year
with four Greek organizations mov
ing to the new location off Blossom
Street.
The Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha
Epsilon, Alpha Tau Omega fraterni
ties and the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority
will be the first groups to move into
the village.
Mason L. Reuter, coordinator of
Greek Life, said plans are already in
Athe works for the 15-lot Greek
Village, and the remaining 11 lots
should be completed and ready for
move-in by next fall.
However, several groups remain
on a waiting list. “More groups ap
plied than there were lots,” Reuter
said. “The lots were given on a first
come, first-serve basis.”
Each organization had to provide
information including their housing
corporation, a chapter report and a
drawing of the proposed house to be
built, which was submitted to Greek
Housing.
In addition to the aesthetic appeal
of the village, Reuter said the atten
tion the new housing will bring to
fraternities and sororities at USC
should potentially bring in more
pledges in future recruitments.
“The Greek village will do a lot
for the broad Greek community. I
think it will increase the number of
people interested in being members
of Greek organizations on this cam
pus,”Reuter said.
The male to female ratio will be
evened next fall with more construc
tion. “Of the four that are opening
this fall, there are three fraternities
and one sorority,” Reuter said. “But
overall, when you look at the 15 lots
that have been assigned, there are
♦ GREEK, SEE PAGE 9
PHOTO BY ROBERT GRUEN/THE GAMECOCK
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house, located in the Greek Village.
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