Bruce Pearl talks soon-to-be approved basketball facility renovations

AUBURN — Renovation plans for inside Neville Arena are set to be approved on February 7 during a Board of Trustees meeting.

Sources tell Auburn Live the plan is for men’s basketball to receive additional office and recruiting space above the current practice gym, lounge space, a possible redesigned scholarship entrance lobby that would look similar to the Woltosz Performance Center lobby — filled with LED screens — and possibly a new video board inside the practice gym for a variety of purposes, including real-time film work during practices.

Bruce Pearl was asked about the plans on Tuesday and gave a similar answer he’s given in the past when it comes to having to choose between diverting funds towards NIL versus building a brand-new, stand-alone facility, something that was approved in 2022.

Pearl did harp, at least for a minute, on his desire for a stand-alone facility, but understands the current environment may not be conducive to making that happen.

“Well, first of all, grateful to the Board and out athletic director, John Cohen, for wanting to continue to upgrade this phenomenal facility. Would any basketball coach like to have a stand-alone, state-of-the-art facility? Of course, I’d be disingenuous if I said that we wouldn’t love to have that,” Pearl said

“But, when NIL came in at the same time as the new facility was approved, I immediately looked at it and said, we’re in the process of finishing up football facilities. We knew baseball renovation was coming. We knew the stadium had some things coming. I just looked at it when NIL came around and said, ‘I just don’t think we can do this right now.’

“We’re going to need to fund out student-athletes in all sports. I just didn’t think it was fair the way NIL was set up with so much of it going to be on our donors and advertisers, people that wanted to participate in NIL, then to ask them at the same time for a brand-new, state-of-the-art practice facility.”

When asked to comment on specific plans for the renovated space inside Neville Arena, Pearl declined to comment, citing uncertainty in all the details of the proposed plans.

The Board of Trustees’ agenda materials for the vote on Friday reads, “due to the heavy use of the competition floor and existing practice gym, this project’s originally proposed scope of work included the construction of an additional practice gymnasium and expanded team support spaces. However, during the design process, the Athletics Department adjusted the scope to properly and reasonably address the original project goals without requiring the construction of an additional practice gym. The athletics director and coaches of all three teams are very supportive of, and excited for these changes to their team spaces.”

The renovations are estimated to cost around $9 million.

Volleyball has already moved out of Neville and into Watson Fieldhouse, the old football facility. Volleyball practices there, and may play games there down the road. That’s yet to be determined. For now, volleyball play games inside Neville.

Women’s basketball offices will move across Neville to the opposite corner of the building. They will get renovated spaces as well, allowing men’s basketball to take over the entire space above the current practice gym. A completely redesigned space is expected, including larger offices, recruiting lounge space, among other things. And as mentioned, Pearl and staff wanted a video board inside the practice gym for film work and other uses, and sources indicate that may very well be part of the plan as well.

There will still be scheduling to work out between men’s and women’s basketball at times when it comes to the practice gym and the main court inside Neville, but volleyball being removed should alleviate some of the pains.