The long-planned and anticipated makeover at Gampel Pavilion has begun, now that the last UConn basketball of the season has been played on campus.
“Gampel Pavilion is one of the most electric atmospheres in all of college basketball, and our student-athletes and fans deserve a facility that matches the standard we hold ourselves to every day,” said UConn AD David Benedict in a statement released by the university. “UConn is the Basketball Capital of the World, and this investment ensures that when you walk through those doors, you feel it. We are incredibly excited about what this project means for the future of our programs.”
Gampel, which opened in 1990, has been home to both basketball programs, replacing the old FieldHouse as the on-campus venue. The teams split their home games between Storrs and PeoplesBank Arena in downtown Hartford. Over the decades, other schools’ on-campus facilities have surpassed Gampel in space and amenities. The first phase of this $99.4 million project will be completed in time for the 2026-27 season.
The project is funded by in non-tax revenue, raised through the sale of State of Connecticut “UConn 2000” bonds as authorized by the General Assembly in 2024 and approved by UConn’s Board in December.
The first phase of the project includes full replacement of Gampel’s distinctive, but often troublesome roof, made of metal-clad, insulated triangular panels. It has been known to leak, nearly causing the postponement of a men’s game in February 2025. The shape will not change, but the new roof is expected to be more effective. By next season, there will be a new “Basketball Gameday Suite,” will include, according to UConn, “a state-of-the-art recruiting lounge, sports medicine space, team and coaches’ locker rooms, a coaches’ lounge and conference room, upgrades to the basketball officials’ locker room, and a dedicated fully integrated post-game press and athletics meeting space.”
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New concessions for fans include a grab-and-go stores on all four corners of the arena, easing congestions near the restrooms.
Artifacts taken out of the arena during the renovation will be available to fans as souvenirs, including autographed chairs, lockers, whiteboards, branded signage at collectuconn.com
In recent years, Gampel, which seats 10,400, has become less cluttered as the basketball teams are now headquartered at the Werth Family Center across the street, and volleyball has moved into a large facility that was formerly the ice rink. Many of the offices in Gampel’s basement have been moved elsewhere. The golf team, which uses an attic space at Gampel, will be moving to new digs on the other side of campus.
