The Carolina Coliseum may get a makeover in the future, rendering the building relevant again and promoting the status of the University of South Carolina.
This is a radical idea we strongly support.
Considering how empty the Coliseum often is, the once-popular venue could now be mistaken for a haunted house. The building, built in 1968 to host Gamecock basketball, has the capacity to seat 12,000 people, but only houses large, public events a handful of times every year. Most of the events held in the Coliseum are not even hosted by the University.
The College of Mass Communication and Information Studies and the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management call the building home but students who don’t take classes there rarely use the building.
All of this could change if the board of trustees approves a new building plan proposed by the Boston design firm Sasaki Associates. The new plan would turn the Coliseum into a modern academic space and could possibly feature a satellite student union and more indoor fitness equipment, according to Tom Quasney, director of Facility Services at USC.
The space inside the Coliseum has been wasted for a long time — too long. If the University can acquire the funds to make this plan a reality without raising tuition or going into debt, then we applaud them. Using the current building instead of constructing a new one will help keep the history of the Coliseum alive while also saving the University money.
On the down side, the project may take as long as 20 years to complete.
Did you hear that, John Mayer? You should come back and practice again so people don’t forget about the Coliseum before its transformation.