Purdue trustees approve $6.7 million in Mackey renovations

Purdue's board of trustees announced Friday it has approved $6.7 million in renovations for Mackey Arena, work funded entirely by private donations and expected to begin after next season.

The arena, which opened in 1967, has had more than a dozen updates over the past quarter-century.

This time, the project focuses on reconfiguring the men's and women's basketball locker rooms and player lounges, expanding the John Wooden Club area, technology updates and more efficient use of the current space.

Men's coach Matt Painter said the upgrade will help keep the Boilermakers competitive in recruiting. The Boilermakers earned their first No. 1 ranking in school history last season and reached their fourth NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in the last five events before falling to Saint Peter's.

“Mackey Arena is already considered one of the premier environments in college basketball, and holds a special place for me as a former player," Painter said. "These improvements will continue to ensure that Purdue basketball and Mackey Arena remain among the nation’s elite.”

Second-year women's basketball coach Katie Gearlds, who also played at Purdue, agreed.

“The locker room renovation project is a vital step as we bring the women’s basketball program back to the national stage,” she said. “The new locker room and player areas will provide additional resources to our student-athletes as we take the next step to compete at an elite level.”