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One of the best home court advantages in the Pac-12 is about to get even better.
On Monday, Oregon State announced that renovations are coming to Gill Coliseum this fall. The school has stated that the two million dollar project will be financed by private donations and is expected to be completed in time for the upcoming basketball season. The renovations will include upgrades to lower level bowl seats and bathrooms, as well as improvements to the stadium’s loudspeakers and sound system.
One of the more unique changes to be made during their renovations is the relocation of the main camera used for televisions broadcasts to the alternate side of the area. This change, while seemingly minimal, will cause additional changes to come as well, such as re-organzing the court graphics to ensure that the team logo and Ralph Miller Court stamp are properly visible. In an artist rendering of the new proposed court design on the Oregon State Athletics website, the Ralph Miller Court stamp will now be placed above the team logo at mid-court. Minor additional alterations, such as changes in the colors of the key area will be made as well.
Gill Coliseum was constructed in 1949 and is named after legendary Oregon State basketball coach Amory T. Gill, who coached the Beavers to 599 wins from 1928 to 1964. The arena currently holds over 9,600 fans at capacity and has undergone many small and large scale renovations over the years. At the moment, Gill Coliseum is the second smallest basketball arena in the Pac-12, behind Stanford’s Maples Pavilion, which seats around 7,329 fans. It is also the second oldest basketball facility in the conference, trailing only Washington’s Hec Edmundson Pavilion, which was constructed in 1927.
The renovations are expected to be completed by November, although no specific start date has been decided on yet. Since the renovations will not involve any structural changes to the facility, the deadline is expected to be met with no issues.