Administration looking into possible homes for new basketball program

Editors Note* On Feb. 1, the East Tennessean sat down with ETSU President Brian Noland. During that interview we were shown possible locations for the new football stadium that is being discussed. The following Tuesday, Feb. 5, we requested copies of the potential locations for a football stadium. It has been brought to our attention that the pictures we were given, and that we posted online with the article, were pictures of a planned convocation center and basketball arena.

We have, however, received confirmation that two possible campus locations for the football stadium are by the parking garage under construction near Warf-Pickel, and behind Knight's Pizza, near where the intramural fields are currently located.

ETSU’s administration has begun preliminary conversations about where to house a new convocation center that could possibly house the basketball program in the future.

The locations, none of which are on campus, are being evaluated on a number of criteria.

Six sites are being considered — two of which are not close to campus. One is near Science Hill High School and the other is near the new Chick-Fil-A on the corner of Highway 11-E and State of Franklin. This site appears to occupy the space left vacant by the old National Guard facility.

The remaining four sites are within walking distance of campus.

Two of those proposed locations are in downtown Johnson City. The first is located in a plot of land next to The Battery on State of Franklin. The parcel of land is a rectangle created by State of Franklin, and Walnut, Buffalo and Spring streets. The second location in downtown is on the other side of the Battery and borders South Roan Street and Interstate 26.

The two locations closest to campus are located on opposite ends of the universities property.

One is proposed to run along side State of Franklin from Watauga Street to Sevier Street The land is currently occupied by the abandoned General Mills factory, Harman Ice and Mize Farm and Garden. The remaining location may be the closest to campus and closest to the largest concentration of students not living on campus. The proposed location sits in a triangle created by the railroad tracks that run behind campus, Seminole Drive and Ashley Road. With a large number of students living in nearby apartment complexes, this location could be the most suitable for game days.

One of the most important aspects of the decision is the future of the center and will the proposed location offer enough room for future growth.