Indiana Budget Panel Approves Hulman Center Renovation Funds

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — The State Budget Committee has approved Indiana State University's plan to spend up to $50 million to renovate its 44-year-old Hulman Center.

The Budget Committee, meeting Friday in Fort Wayne, unanimously approved the release of $37.5 million in state appropriations to update the 10,000-seat arena. The appropriation initially was earmarked for a larger project that also involved a new, adjoining convention center and local partners, but the university withdrew from the convention center project in August.

The university said the renovations are scheduled to begin following the conclusion of the 2017-18 men's and women's basketball seasons next spring and are expected to take about 26 months to complete. The university will continue to hold limited activities there while the work is done.