By Cody Porter

The creation of the nearly $270 million KFC Yum! Center in Louisville has left many members of Big Blue Nation hungry for their own “Gold Standard” arena, as UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart told the task force studying the future of Rupp Arena and Lexington Center.

Freedom Hall hosted its last home game for the Louisville Cardinals on March 6, 2010. At that time the arena was in its 54th season hosting the Cardinals, but it wouldn’t have made it to where it is today without some much-needed overhaul.

In April 1984, the arena began a $13.3 million renovation that increased its seating capacity by more than 2,000, bringing it to a total capacity of 18,865. Upgrades in the lighting and sound systems were also included, according to the official University of Louisville Athletics website.

One of the biggest benefits of the renovation was the addition of 24 private boxes located just above the lower arena seats.

In an earlier interview with the Kernel, CatsPause founder Oscar Combs said, “In order for a renovation to work it would require ‘at least 70 or more’ corporate suites and the replacement of the bleachers in the upper level with chair-back seats, as is present in the lower arena.” That would closely match the 71 currently present in the Yum! Center.

Freedom Hall, which continues to host events, concerts and meetings, in addition to sporting events, “was a worn out old building that had so many changes that had occurred to it,” said Carl Hall, director of arena management at Rupp Arena.

“It was just impractical to try and do anything with it to raise it to the level they currently have with the Yum! Center,” Hall said.

Since its inception, Rupp Arena has had one major change — a $15 million renovation that occurred in 2001, several years after Freedom Hall’s renovation. It resulted in the current “eRUPPtion Zone,” a new court, change in lower level seating, 40 new seats in all corners, four new video boards and the press box that is located just below the upper level seats.

Hall spoke about how people have to see things from two different perspectives on whether or not Rupp is outdated — the fan view, and the convention side, something he said is “lost in all the talks.”

“If you want to be forward-thinking you need to look at the convention side, which generates a lot of economic impact and a lot of job opportunities with restaurants, clubs and hotels,” Hall said.

Comfort is something Hall believes most fans want, but in order for that to be accomplished, the rows would require more spacing, resulting in the loss of seating capacity. The bottom 10 rows of the upper arena would be removed for suites; something that would be necessary for a renovation to occur.

Hall said it would result in the loss of nearly 4,000 seats, something Wildcat fans couldn’t live with as the current capacity is leading to continuous sellouts.

Hall added, “Renovation is impractical unless you want to reduce capacity.”

The renovation of Rupp would cost around $175 million, Hall said, but would “completely eliminate any growth or expansion opportunities you have with your convention center.”

By comparison, a new “Gold Standard” arena would cost somewhere around $250 million with proper parking support.

“Rupp Arena is in better condition by far. Freedom Hall isn’t as big and it looks old on the inside,” said Nick Metzler, a UK integrated strategic communication junior and Louisville native.

“I think a newer arena needs to have all the new gadgets and needs to be totally up to date,” Metzler said. “There needs to be a new arena because UK is the best of the best in college basketball, and to be the best you need to have the best.

“The Yum! Center is an amazing arena. It looks more like an NBA arena than a college one. UK can’t let little brother have something that is bigger and better than us, that’s just unacceptable.”