Construction on the first of two phases of the National Hockey and Event Center renovation will begin in July and continue past the midpoint of the St. Cloud State University hockey season.
A state review of the mix of project funding is progressing, said St. Cloud State President Earl H. Potter III, and he hopes the final documents regarding funding are signed by mid-June.
"Diesel smoke on site in the first week of July," Potter said when asked when construction work will begin.
That diesel smoke will signal the beginning of a $28.8 million project that would create a building able to host concerts and other events that would otherwise not have a suitable venue in the St. Cloud area. The plan for the renovated facility would add 20-30 luxury suites, upgrade the entrance, concourses, concessions and restrooms and create concert seating for about 8,000 people.
The renovation originally was planned to begin in spring, but a review of the funding by the office of Minnesota Management & Budget pushed back the start date. The original plan also called for two distinct phases that each began after the hockey season ended and finished before the next season started.
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That, too, has changed.
Phase one construction will go into January, Potter said. The Huskies play 22 of their 36 regular season games -- and 11 of their 18 home games -- before Jan. 1.
That phase one construction will focus mainly on the exterior and entrance of the building's south side. A new entryway is being built there, and fans likely will enter the arena this season through a temporary entrance. There will be some phase one work on locker rooms, and a handful of suites will be built, he said.
"The rink won't be disrupted," Potter said. "We will not disrupt the north, west and east sides (of the building)."
A second phase would begin after the season and would involve work on the interior to expand seating and add more suites, among other upgrades. The second phase is scheduled to be completed before the beginning of the 2012-2013 season.
The university previously moved back the target date for phase one construction one year and has shifted some work from phase one to phase two as the project timeline moved because of economic and other factors. The university has enough to pay for the project's $14 million first phase, Potter has said.
It is a mix of state funding, dollars raised and loans secured by pledges and operating revenues including sponsorships. Money from naming the building is not a part of the phase one funding, Potter said.
A $6.5 million state appropriation for the project needs to be spent by July 1, 2012. The university has vowed to raise about $22.3 million for the project.
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Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
