Outside the arena:

Before basketball returns to the arena, there’s still work to be done. Here’s a quick glance at some of the latest work:

The 200-level seats on the west side of the arena are in place. The 100-level seats on the west side are going in this week. Next week, workers will start installing seats on the east side. They will then move to the north side and finally the south side.

Fans will find the seats more comfortable, DeBolt said, and they will also notice the addition of cup holders. Some of the seats removed were originals from 1969. The 300 and 400 level seats, which will be replaced next year in Phase 2, are all originals.

A new center-hung video board hangs over the court. New ribbon boards on the north and south sides of the arena are up. All the new video boards give UD more options during games.

“You’ve got the four sides of the video board,” DeBolt said. “Plus it has four wedges in the corner. Plus, it has a ring around the bottom. Plus we have two LED

Seating: Scoreboard:

ribbon boards on the ends, plus the four existing corner boards and the LED scorer’s table. Plus we’ll have an LED stanchion on the back of the hoops. With all those elements, there will be plenty of information and graphics and videos that we can throw out there to keep folks informed of stats, out-of-town scores, replays, sponsors, upcoming events, promotions, you name it.”

The small hill behind UD Arena, at the back of the parking lot, has been removed. DeBolt said he believes the hill was built with excess dirt from the construction of UD Arena. Construction crews will use the space for the next three years, and then it will be used for 250 extra parking spaces.

The installation of a pressurized pipe around the outside of the arena is finished, DeBolt said. A geothermal well that will be used for air conditioning, which will be installed in Phase 3, is in place. It will be used for de-watering until it is used for air conditioning.