Opened in 1968 and host of thousands of men and women’s games - and other non-athletic events - Miami’s iconic Millett Hall is now the focus of preliminary discussions among university officials to be supplanted by a new, on-campus arena, said school officials.
The north Oxford campus arena, which holds about 10,000 and houses Miami sports department and other offices, is aging and needs extensive renovations that are estimated to cost $80 million “in the near term,” officials noted in a recent statement.
“In this early planning phase, the university has identified the need for a new arena that is centrally located on campus, within walking distance for students and to Uptown Oxford, can hold multiple events concurrently, and can better host university and city events, such as lectures, convocation, concerts, career fairs, and graduations.”
“We are currently exploring options for design and opportunities for philanthropic funding as part of Miami’s billion-dollar (fund raising) campaign, said officials.
Seth Bauguess, senior director of communications for Miami, told the Journal-News any planning for replacing Millett is currently of an exploratory nature.
“These potential projects are in the very early phases of ideation, and stem from ongoing assessment and discussion around how the university will evolve over the next decade while strengthening the student experience, enriching Oxford, and fostering economic development in the region,” said Bauguess.
Formally named the John D. Millett Hall, in honor of Miami University’s 16th president, the arena opened its doors on Dec. 2, 1968, and serves as the home of RedHawk men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball.
Millett Hall, built at an approximate cost of $7.5 million, houses many of the athletic department offices, as well as the university ROTC offices. The building also has hosted commencement exercises, plays and concerts.
The arena recently attracted thousands to hear a speech by Kevin O’Leary of TV’s “Shark Tank.”
And development discussions also include a scenario impacting the Oxford campus’ popular recreational area Cook Field - used annually by thousands for student intermural sports – which may be partially converted to the site of the largest, on-campus hotel in school’s history.
According to Miami officials, “the university also recently issued a request for proposals seeking a development team to design, construct, finance, operate, and maintain a university-affiliated full-service hotel with meeting space, high-quality food and beverage service, and fitness amenities on university-owned property.”
“Though firms have expressed interest in the northwest corner of Cook Field, a final site has not been determined. If the university were to pursue this, it would expand Cook Field’s turfed playing surface to the south in order to preserve sufficient recreation space for students.”
Bauguess stressed no formal actions have yet been taken on both proposed projects.
“The strategic planning process has inspired bold new ideas across all facets of university life – including reinvigorating the campus experience – and we look forward to sharing more as initiatives are developed over the next year,” he said.
“It’s important to note that neither project will move forward without full approval by the Miami University Board of Trustees. As these ideas are still in their early phases, there are no firm dates for when anything on either will be presented to trustees for consideration.”
Miami student Jacob Esteridge walks past Millett Hall often during class days and thinks a more modern arena is a good idea.
“It would be sweet to have a bigger and better arena especially when looking at the ($80 million) cost of renewing this one.”
But classmate Zane Alhilu said any money for either a new arena or campus hotel would be better spent on academic programs.
“It would be waste of money. These (projects) would be more for the look of the Miami brand and not its educational quality,” said Alhilu.
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