New Mexico fans will notice quite a facelift at The Pit.
The 44-year-old college basketball arena is a little messy from construction but it looks fabulous after a nearly two-year renovation that cost $60 million. From the new suites and club seating to massive video boards and new locker rooms, it's as modern as any site in the country.
''Really, it's finishing work,'' said Tim Cass, the senior associate athletic director who steered the project. ''It's touchup paint, some flooring, some carpeting. On the outside, we need some landscaping. This pavement we're standing on just went in yesterday. But the majority is complete.''
Administrators offered a tour of the facility Thursday for reporters.
Workers in hard hats scurried around, putting on coats of paint, installing glass and lighting and performing other touchups. Cass pledged the famed underground facility will be ready for a Nov. 3 exhibition against Eastern New Mexico.
''I've tried telling people how spectacular it is,'' New Mexico coach Steve Alford said. ''Our guys are really excited about moving into the best venue in college basketball. We're very excited in how it was drawn up two years ago and how it's coming to completion now.''
The Pit played host to the 1983 Final Four and long has been considered one of the nation's loudest venues.
Cass said fans will notice a wider concourse, more concession selections, double the number of restroom stalls, a black ceiling and, of course, those two large video boards mounted high above the floor at each end of the arena.
There now are high glass walls on the arena's north and east sides, offering sweeping views of downtown Albuquerque and the Sandia Mountains. With the playing surface 37 feet below street level, the building used to look more like a warehouse when viewed from outside.
The renovation also added weight and training facilities that will be used by the men's and women's basketball teams and the baseball and softball squads.
The seating capacity of The Pit will drop from 18,018 to 17,126 because of widened aisles and some seats that were removed.
''But the feeling in the seating bowl hasn't changed,'' Cass said. ''The sight lines are terrific from every spot in the arena.''
Work started after the 2008-09 season and continued in 2009-2010. Despite inconveniences such as having restrooms and concessions moved outside to the parking lot last season, fans kept coming during a historic season where New Mexico went 30-5 to set a school record for wins.
The Lobos returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years, losing in the second round.
''A lot of credit goes to our fans,'' Cass said. ''To live with us through this renovation, when they come back, I hope they'll be really excited. They had to endure outdoor Port-a-Potties and outdoor concessions. We had no running water inside the arena last year.''
