A $15M renovation plan is in the works for USM coliseum, basketball arena. What to know.
The renovations project at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Reed Green Coliseum is moving forward, according to documents obtained by the Sun Herald.
Southern Miss has reached an agreement with Wier Boerner Allin Architecture for the project estimated to cost $15 million.
The renovation is still in the feasibility and planning stage, with no timetable for construction.
Funding sources outlined in the documents are accurate, per administrative sources. The funds are to come from the athletic department, private sources and the Hattiesburg Tourism Tax enacted in 2019.
That 1% tax increase is set to end in June, though the Hattiesburg City Council has requested an extension of the tax to 2026 from the state Legislature.
The arena proposal includes broad upgrades to the building’s infrastructure, bathroom facilities, electrical system and lighting. Code upgrades are also included in the plan.
The Reed Green Coliseum has been in line for a major renovation since 2015 when then-athletic director Bill McGillis unveiled a $35-45 million renovation plan that would have included new seating and a new scoreboard.
That project never came to fruition. The last significant update to the building came in 2008, when $8.6 million was used to add new locker rooms and offices.
