Grand Opening of ICCU Arena Energizes University of Idaho Campus

Grand Opening of ICCU Arena Energizes University of Idaho Campus

Monday, October 11, 2021

Hastings+Chivetta Architects and Opsis Architecture are pleased to announce grand opening of the Idaho Central Credit Union Arena at the University of Idaho.

 

The state-of-the-art, 66,100 square foot, 4,000 seat Idaho Central Credit Union Arena was unveiled in a community celebration that occurred on Friday, October 8, 2021.

The Arena serves as the new home for Vandal men’s and women’s basketball and as a gathering place for student life events, including concerts and academic conferences.  Since February 2001, the adjacent Kibbie Dome – also used for Vandal football, tennis, indoor track and field, and soccer – was reconfigured for basketball games and dubbed Cowan Spectrum.  With the opening of the ICCU Arena, Vandal basketball now has its own home on campus.   The dynamic venue aims to rally fan excitement, strengthen recruiting, and place the the University of Idaho’s athletic facilities on par with other Division I institutions.  It is a showpiece for the University community, embodying Idaho’s heritage and providing a unique gathering place for generations of Vandals to come.

The Arena is the first signature wood facility of its size in the state.  The University of Idaho received a highly-competitive Wood Innovation Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make mass timber construction a focal point of the project.  As a result, the venue pays homage to the beauty of Idaho and its abundant natural resources.  The project has already brought significant economic benefit to the Moscow, Idaho region through the use of locally-sourced timber and building materials.  University of Idaho students studying architecture, civil engineering, and soils have been engaged throughout the design and construction process, gaining hands-on experience with the natural resources found in their local community.

The Idaho Central Credit Union Arena also embodies a significant commitment to sustainable design.  The facility features preserved elements from the movable basketball court used for competition in the old Cowan Spectrum.  The entrance of the Idaho Administration Club Basketball Center within the Arena displays the center court logo from the old basketball floor.  Other pieces of the Cowan Spectrum can be found in the ceiling of the men’s locker room, among other locations.  These thoughtful touches preserve elements of the warmth and vision of Cowan Spectrum as the University of Idaho basketball program enjoys its new, state-of-the-art home.

 

Check out additional media coverage on the new Idaho Central Credit Union Arena:

 

To read more about the Idaho Central Credit Union Arena, please click here.