Has anyone heard any news on if/when the video board will be put in the HCC. I remember hearing about it last May, but haven't heard any news as of recent.

It’s my understanding that the plan calls for the new digital display to be installed over the semester break and is to be be ready for the opening of the home Sun Belt schedule when Angel Elderkin’s women face A-State on Thursday night, Jan. 5.

Bureaucracy made it a slow process because technically, the Holmes Center is a learning facility, not a basketball arena.

That very sentence can be used to explain scores of issues with the building since it's inception, construction and use.

T-Dog wrote:Bureaucracy made it a slow process because technically, the Holmes Center is a learning facility, not a basketball arena.

That very sentence can be used to explain scores of issues with the building since it's inception, construction and use.

If it had not been for the "learning facility" aspect, then the building would not have been built. Don't knock an educational institution for using it for educational purposes. You want to raise $70 Million to by the old high school property and build a athletics only arena be my guest. Just don't look for the state to pay for upkeep and maintenance on it.

T-Dog and appgrouch...both of you are right. The General Assembly wouldn't have coughed up the $36.5 Mil for the project w/o having that "multi-purpose" clause in the legislation and in the budget bill. That said, former VC Jane Helm was far too heavy-handed in the management of the facility. She made it a virtual nightmare for the Volleyball and Basketball teams to get in for practice and for coaches to get in to show recruits around.

I'll try to be careful with my choice if words here. Let's just say that she was unnecessarily-less-than-lady-like to deal with in regard to anything concerning the Athletic Department and HCC. She got involved in who could have keys; when practices could and could not be held w/o any concern for when players had late-in-the-day or night classes or late afternoon labs. She even got involved in the menu for concessions and in the rent charged to the Athletic Department for use of the playing floor for practice and games. Even though she brought in a manager for the facility, she micro-managed everything like an angry bulldog .

There was never any need to make it unpleasant--she just did! Things have improved in the years since she was dismissed.