$30 million McKale Center renovation nearing completion

TUCSON, Ariz. -- McKale Center is slowly but surely changing.

The University of Arizona's $30 million renovations to the facility are 75 percent to 80 percent complete and the project expects to get another boost from a former Arizona player who is prepared to donate major funds to help with the updating of the 40-plus year old facility.

Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne declined to name the player but said news will be disclosed at some point soon.

"I'm excited," Byrne said Friday near the end his media tour on the project's progress. "I'm very proud and appreciative of our donors who have made this a reality. I'm proud of our staff who have made this a reality."

There's still plenty to be done on the east concourse. And the court won't be ready for use until Sept. 2, when the Arizona volleyball team break it in.

The basketball teams' annual Red-Blue game will seat only 10,000 fans because portions of the arena still won't be complete. The same will be the case for Arizona's first exhibition game on Nov. 9 It will be complete by the start of the regular season on Nov. 14, Byrne said.

McKale Center will feature about 150 more seats, moving capacity to around 14,688.

The tickets for newer seats -- on two of the lower corners -- are all sold, but about 500 season tickets are still available for the upcoming season, one that could begin with Arizona as the No. 1 team in the nation.

"I'm sure our fans will really miss the yellow," Byrne joked. "That added so much to our arena. You're going to see a really sharp look."

Arizona student-athletes will get their first glimpse of the newer arena on Monday when they have their annual get-together with athletic administrators.

"It's all coming together," said Byrne. "I think we're getting a lot for the $30 million dollars."

Byrne showed the new men's and women's locker room areas, new coaches' locker rooms, new film room and eating area. The volleyball areas are newer and more spacious.  And he highlighted a new player's lounge. All are still a work in progress.

Follow Steve Rivera on Twitter