Palumbo to undergo $1.8M upgrade

By Colin Dunlap | 10:12 a.m. Wednesday 

OK, remember all that stuff Greg Amodio said back in December about the Palumbo Center upgrades being further along than they have ever been?

That was the smoke. Today came the fire.

Duquesne just announced the particulars to the Palumbo Center upgrades, and here you go:

The A.J. Palumbo Center - home to Duquesne University basketball and volleyball teams, as well as the site of commencement ceremonies and concerts - will undergo a $1.8 million interior renovation, with the very first stages having begun earlier this week.

Plans include the installation of chair back seats from top-to-bottom on the north side of the arena and replacement of existing treads, risers and chair backs on the lower level of the south side of the facility. In addition a custom designed center-hung Daktronics video board and four lower level corner scoreboards will be installed.

Construction began on Monday and is expected to be completed in early September.

It will be the first extensive renovation of the main bowl of the arena which opened in Nov. 1988.

Funding for the project is coming from the University capital improvements budget.

"The work being done is yet another example of the University's ongoing commitment to provide the assets necessary for our athletic programs to achieve at the highest level," Director of Athletics Greg Amodio said. "The improvements will elevate the event-day experience for our fans as well as the student body as a whole."

The new chair back seating, which will include 560 premium seats located between the two foul lines on both sides of the playing floor, will shrink the venue's capacity from 5,358 to 4,406.

"The improvements will impact our program by adding to the game-day atmosphere and at the same time contribute greatly to our home court advantage," basketball coach Ron Everhart said.