UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS TO CONSTRUCT $175 MILLION ARENA

Minnesota’s largest private university has unveiled plans for a new $175 million arena.

The University of St. Thomas plans to construct the project within its Highland Park campus. The new arena would be built on site within the south athletic campus that today consists of surface parking lots and a few academic and residential buildings.

A large donation of $75 million has been contributed to help the new arena come to fruition. The donation was made by Lee and Penny Anderson, a husband-and-wife duo that have been long time benefactors of St. Thomas.

The $75 million contribution will kickstart the fundraising efforts for the nearly $175 million arena with $131 million still needed for the arena to come to fruition. To construct the new building, three existing buildings would be demolished.

Called the “Lee and Penny Anderson Arena,” the new arena will be an establishment that is set to make St. Thomas a true destination university. When complete, the arena will be available for use by various activities including the St. Thomas’ Division 1 Men’s and Women’s hockey and basketball programs.

UST plans to also use the new arena for commencement ceremonies, academic convocations, speakers, career fairs, and other events not only for the university, but also the broader community. In addition, the new area will provide space for St. Thomas to partner with local schools, youth sports organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and other organizations.

Finding a suitable site for the arena on campus was a challenge for UST that took years to figure out. The university was also evaluating multiple sites within the area including the Highland Bridge development.

UST hopes to being construction on the new arena, which was designed by Crawford Architects, in spring 2024 with a completion anticipated in fall 2025. Ryan Companies will be responsible for constructing the project.