University of Idaho Arena Project Moves to Bid and Construction

MOSCOW, ID – The Idaho State Board of Education (SBOE) has unanimously approved the University of Idaho’s (U of I) request to proceed with the bidding and construction phase of the signature 4,200-capacity Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU) Arena project. The project will go out for bid and will break ground soon, with building completion expected in the fall of 2021.

University of Idaho Arena

The ICCU Arena will be a showpiece for U of I’s student-athletes, the Vandals, tell the story of Idaho’s heritage, and provide a unique gathering place for generations of Vandals to come. The state-of-the-art arena will provide a teaching facility and the best game atmosphere while also acting as a recruiting showpiece. A practice court will provide attractive and versatile competition space and provide much-needed first-class practice facilities.

The innovative mass-timber construction of the building brought wood industry partners from across the state to the project. These critical partners plan to provide in-kind gifts that may reduce the cost of the building—one that will stand as a stunning example of modern wood construction.

Featured

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • Compton High School

    Compton High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Compton High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • A digital silhouette works at a computer, immersed in a glowing, interconnected world

    How Will AI Transform Learning Space Design?

    For years, higher education has designed learning spaces around technology as a tool for display, capture, collaboration, and connectivity. AI changes that equation.

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.