So, I finally got around to checking out that Gampel Pavilion thing everyone’s been talking about. You know, the one at the University of Connecticut? Yeah, that one. I heard they were gonna do some renovations, and I was kinda curious to see what the fuss was all about.
First off, let me tell you, getting there was a bit of a trek. I mean, Storrs? Not exactly the center of the universe, if you know what I mean. But, I loaded up the car, grabbed some snacks, and hit the road. It was a bit of a drive, but nothing too crazy.
When I got there, the place was, well, it was a big dome. Not gonna lie, it looked kinda dated. I guess it’s been around since, like, 1990 or something. They said this Gampel Pavilion has a capacity of over 10,000. It’s home to the UConn Huskies basketball team, which I guess is a pretty big deal around here. They’re part of the Big East Conference, which I’ve heard of, I think.
Anyway, I walked around a bit, checked out the seating. Mostly, it was all bench seating in the lower level, and it looked pretty worn out. I heard they’re planning to replace it all, which is probably a good idea. Some folks brought their own seat cushions. Smart move. I heard something about them getting an architectural firm from Boston, Populous or something like that, to help with the redesign.
They’re talking about spending a ton of money on these renovations. Like, 100 million dollars or something crazy like that. I also heard they were thinking about doing some work on the XL Center, too, but I’m not sure what the deal is with that. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
I did hear that they’re gonna replace the flooring in Gampel after this basketball season’s over. That old wood’s gotta be, like, 30 years old at least. About time, I’d say.
- Walked around: Just checked out the general layout of the place.
- Checked out seating: Noticed the old bench seating and how worn it was.
- Heard about renovations: Learned about the plans for upgrades and the money involved.
- Learned about flooring: Found out they’re replacing the old court after the season.
Overall, it was an interesting trip. Gampel Pavilion’s definitely got some history, but it’s clear it needs some work. I’m curious to see what they end up doing with the place. Maybe I’ll swing by again once they’re done with all the renovations. We’ll see.
