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

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Tomball ISD Opens New Tomball West High School

    Tomball Independent School District in Tomball, Texas, recently celebrated the official opening of Tomball West High School, the district's third comprehensive high school, with a community ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to a district news release.