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Click here to visit the Alex G. Spanos Sports and Recreation Complex Web site

Whether Sacramento State’s recreational and wellness center should house a smaller events center led the May 2 discussion of a nine-member project planning committee.

In Phase 3 of his plan for the Alex G. Spanos Sports and Recreation Complex, President Alexander Gonzalez proposed to privately fund a 6,000-to 8,000-seat arena. However, a smaller, 3,000-seat events center might be part of the recreation and wellness center (Phase 2 of the complex) in order to serve students while Phase 3 remains in the planning stages.

The smaller events center is intended to provide an area for sporting events, concerts and lecture events. But problems that surround the plans include the high costs for construction and the fact that it does not meet with Big Sky Conference accordance of 3,200 seating to host games.

Gonzalez’s proposed arena would host events like intercollegiate basketball, commencement and concerts, according to the Alex G. Spanos Sports and Recreation Complex Web site. But the privately funded arena has no timeline or budget cap set.

“If an events center went in (the recreation and wellness center), we would have to increase the budget, or take square footage out of other programs,” said Tony Moayed, construction manager for TMCS Inc., the company in charge of the complex’s construction.

Other considerations for what may go in the recreation and wellness center include a movie theater, planned to seat 3,000 people at 3,500 square feet; a six-lane, 5,000-square foot bowling alley; and a 5,000-square foot weight room.– –

Not all programming of center include physical wellness. The movie theater was a recent suggestion made by Leslie Davis, director of the University Union.-

The added benefits of having a movie theater or a bowling alley is that it gives students less “physical activities,” compared to the weight room, which requires them to change clothes, Davis said.

The idea of increasing the size of the weight room arose because other campuses that have recreation centers ?” like UC Davis and San Diego State ?” did not build enough space to meet demand, resulting in long lines.

With a bowling alley, the committee recognized it as a popular form of recreation, but one that has limited flexibility with only six lanes. The committee said the space for a bowling alley can’t be adapted for other uses and has high operation and maintenance costs for a program that may only be a “fad.”-

Another concern Davis addressed is student interest in having alcohol served in the bowling alley.”There will be no alcohol at the bowling alley,” Davis said. “This is a wellness center.”-

The last meeting, set for May 15, will culminate in the committee presenting its final program recommendations to Gonzalez.

Matthew Beltran can be reached at [email protected]