LOS ANGELES — History and tradition mean a lot to the school that was the first to reach 100 national championships. It means a lot to two of the most prestigious families linked to the university as well.
When talks began about what to do with Pauley Pavilion, both the Pauley and Wooden families agreed they wanted a renovation, not a completely rebuilt building.
That thought resonated throughout the UCLA family. The history inside old Pauley Pavilion was always on display in the 11 men's basketball national championship banners.
As a member of the last team to hang a championship banner back in 1995, current Bruins Director of Operations Tyus Edney is glad Pauley Pavilion wasn't torn down.
"This building has been such a big part of UCLA (and) of college basketball as a whole. This is the greatest basketball program in college basketball and just to know that it was here on campus and in this arena, just being able to be a part of that is something that's very special," Edney said. "I like how they didn't tear it down completely and put it to the ground especially with all of the history and memories in here."
They plan to keep old memories while adding new ones during the $136-million facelift. The north side will be the main entrance and the "crown jewel" of the new Pauley. A statue of John Wooden will be crafted on the northeast side of the building along the new Bruin Walk.
The home locker room is now on the east side of the building, the same side on which the Bruins bench will be located.
On the west side will be the visitor locker rooms where the home team used to be.
The capacity has increased from 12,800 to 13,800 for basketball games. Six hundred seats have been added to the upper level and 400 to the floor. There was a 30-foot gap between the basket and the seats. The players never wondered about it.
"It was just like that," Edney said.
It was often a topic of discussion among spectators, but it won't be any more.
"It was a variable spacing from the east to the west because the court off center," explains UCLA Senior Associate Athletic Director Ken Weiner.
The court is centered now and the addition to the seats will bring the crowd closer to the floor.
The Bruins will enjoy a players lounge which will include TVs as well as computers for them to get their studies done. The light that illuminates the locker room will be in the shape of a basketball. There is a 70-foot walkway from the men's locker room to the floor.
A 24-seat amphitheater will be available for film study. The new Pauley Pavillion is wired so that any video shot on the court goes into a server that can be accessed immediately in the amphitheater.
For Pavilion Club members, there is a room which holds up to 350 people. A bar is located inside and that is the only place in the new Pauley where alcohol will be permitted.
The room will also be used as a banquet facility for some of the Olympic sports. As far as exclusivity goes, the room for the Pavilion Club members is about as exclusive as it gets inside the new Pauley. There are no suites.
"They don't want to be the Staples Center," Weiner said. "(We want) the feeling of old Pauley Pavilion. We didn't feel premium seats on a club level. We do have premium seats as a individual seat basis. No one was really all that excited all that much about suites."
Suites or not, the new Pauley is scheduled to open on time in October. Edney is not jealous he doesn't get to participate in such new digs as a player, but glad about the opportunity as a star-studded recruiting class arrives in the fall.
"No jealousy," Edney said. "I'm excited for the guys. It's like you're upgrading your own house. Everybody can enjoy it."
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