STATE
INDIANA — Indiana University of Pennsylvania will break ground on a $60 million sports arena and hotel complex funded, in part, by a local family and one of the founders of YouTube.
The Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex is named for a local family that contributed $2 million to it. YouTube co-founder and 1999 IUP grad Chad Hurley also will be honored at Thursday's groundbreaking when he is scheduled to make a seven-figure donation to the project.
The complex includes a 4,0000-seat arena, athletic department offices and conference facilities. The IUP Foundation is paying for the $20 million hotel. The state and the university are splitting the remaining $40 million cost.
The project is expected to open in 2011.
PITTSBURGH — The cost of the Pittsburgh Penguins new arena is now $321 million.The city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority board approved a plan Thursday to cover the $31 million increase, with the Penguins kicking in half, or $15.5 million.The original cost was projected to be $290 million, though the team has long said the price could rise to $310 million. Inflation, including increased fuel and materials costs, are blamed for the increase.Under the plan, the state will contribute $10 million more while the sports authority will pay $5.5 million more. That share could come from an existing ticket surcharge, bond proceeds or savings if a related parking garage comes in under budget.The team is responsible for any overruns above $321 million.
