Home court: Indiana State University’s plan to spend up to $50 million to renovate Hulman Center moved one step forward Thursday. Tribune-Star file photo
Indiana State University’s plan to spend up to $50 million to renovate Hulman Center moved one step forward Thursday.
TheIndiana Commission for Higher Education gave its stamp of approval during a meeting at Vincennes University. The request now goes to the State Budget Committee Sept. 22.
The $50 million includes use of a $37.5 million state appropriation initially intended for a larger project that also involved a new, adjoining convention center and local partners. In August, ISU withdrew from the convention center project.
Diann McKee, ISU senior vice president for finance, presented the university’s request during Thursday’s meeting. The General Assembly approved the $37.5 million appropriation to Indiana State in 2015, to be used as a one-to-one match for the proposed $75 million project to create a convention and arena complex.
Other partners included Terre Haute city government, Vigo County government and the Terre Haute Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
“After two years of working with our local partners, we have been unable to secure a firm financial commitment for the entire project,” McKee told the commission. She described “fiscal constraints” involving city and county government that “make their financial participation difficult at this juncture.”
As a result, ISU’s board of trustees “has determined it’s best to move forward” and request release of the $37.5 million earmarked for the renovation of the existing facility, she said.
It leaves open the option, at a future point, for a Phase 2 construction of a convention or conference center, she said, “once our local partners would have funds in hand.”
ISU does not plan to fund the addition of a convention or conference center.
Renovation of Hulman Center, built in 1973, is necessary to replace mechanical and electrical systems as well as the building’s failing metal exterior. The project calls for updating safety systems, including a new fire protection system.
In addition to the $37.5 million state appropriation, the project also would be funded through gifts [$1 million], cash reserves [$4.7 million] and debt not funded through student tuition or state appropriation.
Teresa Lubbers, Indiana’s commissioner for higher education, said agency staff had met with ISU officials and talked to legislative leaders because the project is different from what was originally proposed.
Based on those conversations, “There is support in the General Assembly to move forward in this direction,” Lubbers said. “We’ve done our due diligence…to make sure this is a proposal that should go forward today.”
Among the few questions asked was whether there were any “legal impediments” to consider, given ISU’s request differs from the original proposal.
McKee responded, “We have discussed this with budget agency staff and fiscal analysts in the House and Senate. They are aware of wording in the budget bill and what we are requesting, and have expressed no issues of concern about that.”
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