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University of Central Arkansas seeks planning funds for new arena after costly Ferris Center repairs estimated
Summary
UCA requested $2.2 million from capital reserves to fund the planning phase of a new multipurpose arena, arguing that repairing the 53‑year‑old Ferris Center would be more expensive than planning a replacement; university president provided cost estimates for partial repairs versus a full replacement study.
University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis told the Joint Budget Committee peer-review subcommittee that UCA seeks planning funds for a potential new multipurpose arena rather than pouring money into a 53‑year‑old Ferris Center with extensive mechanical issues.
Davis described the Ferris Center’s aging air‑handling system and said the university examined costs for targeted repairs and ADA upgrades. Davis summarized the university’s assessment: replacing the air handling system alone would cost about $8 million, cutting needed access and ceiling work roughly $1.5 million more, and ADA upgrades another $3 million. The university’s board concluded those repairs—combined with other necessary work—approached a point at which building a new facility became a more prudent long‑term option.
The $2.2 million request in the packet is for planning work only: architects, site positioning and design work, and related preconstruction planning. Davis said any decision to build a new arena will be subject to the university board’s approval and could come before the board as early as May 2025.
Ending: The committee set the UCA method‑of‑finance entry as reviewed; no vote was recorded to obligate construction funds, and the university said the planning request is the next step in determining whether to pursue full replacement.
