Nebraska board of regents approves program statement for new arena in Omaha

The University of Nebraska board of regents on Friday unanimously approved the program statement for the new arena at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

The vote will now allow the project to move forward with fundraising and completing finalized designs for the arena.

“The arena is a game-changer for UNO – enhancing not only Maverick athletics and our move to Division I (in sports other than hockey), but also recruitment, student life and as a home for university special events,” said Chancellor John Christensen in a statement. “As importantly, this facility will provide a wide range of opportunities for community use as a similarly-sized replacement for the Civic Auditorium, in addition to serving as a wonderful complement to Aksarben Village and midtown redevelopment.”

Construction of the arena is slated to start in late 2013 with an expected completion date of June 2015.