O'Connell Center Lower Level Seating Gets A Facelift
Monday, August 15, 2011 | Men's Basketball, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The lively orange-and-blue atmosphere Gator fans are used to seeing inside the Stephen C. O'Connell Center got a facelift over the summer.
The scene is actually bluer after the installation of new retractable seats in Level 1 to replace the worn and out-of-code seats from last season. The $900,000 project was recently completed and fans will get their first glimpse at the reconfigured lower level of the O'Dome when the football and volleyball teams hold Fan Day on Aug. 20.
The O'Connell Center initiated and paid for the project to bring the retractable seats up to code and enhance game-day operations, including better patron flow and improved safety. The support structure and undercarriage of the former seats had been in place since the O'Connell Center opened 31 years ago. The contoured blue seats were replaced in 1998.
The project started in mid-May and included the replacement of the structure and seating in all the Level 1 retractable seats. The renovation also included modifying stair steps to remove the former height variations and adding hand rails to the aisles to improve safety.
O'Connell Center Director Lynda Reinhart said the improvements will make for a better fan experience.
“We went into this project with three goals in mind: improving patron safety, reducing maintenance costs associated with the aging (seats), and maintaining the unique environment that enables so many fans to be close to the action in our events,” Reinhart said. “We believe we have accomplished all of these goals and are looking forward to unveiling the new seating in the fall.”
To ensure Gator Boosters and long-time season ticket-holders would remain in Level 1, the UAA has moved a number of its employees' seats due to the loss of approximately 200 seats during the renovation. The seats were lost due to aisle movement and some rows being lost in the new seating configuration.
In addition, the school band will also move to Level 2 to ensure season-ticket holders remain seated in the lower level. The band has sat in Level 2 several times over the years for ESPN's “College GameDay” first visits (2006 and 2008), as well as last year's early season matchup against Ohio State.
“Once it was clear that the lower-level seats had to be replaced, and that new building codes would require reconfiguration, we made it our top priority to minimize the impact on our season-ticket holders,” said UF Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Affairs Mike Hill.
UF's ticket office and Gator Boosters, Inc., are working to inform season-ticket holders of the change, including the creation of a direct customer service line devoted to seating questions. For anyone wanting more information, you can call 352-692-6305.
“The UAA recognizes the support shown by all of our season ticket-holders and we wanted to do whatever we could to ensure that we looked at their seating first before any other people in Level 1,” said Mark Gajda, assistant athletic director for ticket operations.
“We envision slight changes in the seating configuration, but all season ticket-holders who were in Level 1 last year will remain there this year in a very similar seat arrangement.”
The O'Connell Center opened in 1980 and is home to the Gators men's and women's basketball teams, volleyball team, gymnastics team, and men's and women's swimming and diving teams.
A new attendance record was set on Feb. 5 when a crowd of 12,633 watched the Gators men's basketball team beat Kentucky, 70-68, on their way to the third outright SEC men's basketball regular-season title in school history.
