Setting the Bar at Towson University
The SECU arena made an immediate impact on revenue, attendance, and ticket sales.
Towson University SECU Arena
Towson University is actively transforming from a local commuter school to a four-year college with regional stature and increased enrollment. This change demands comprehensive program improvements in athletic facilities for its Division I teams. To respond to this growth and transformation, Towson engaged Sasaki to design the SECU Arena. The basketball arena is home to the Division I Towson Tigers who play in the Colonial Athletic Association. The arena is designed to provide spectacular views of the basketball court and includes 5,200 spectator seats, four private club suites, 340 premium club level seats that round the top of the lower seating bowl, and an additional 104 courtside seats. The VIP accommodations include a separate entrance, large suites, and a large, flexible hospitality room at the upper level. The entrance side of the main level surrounding concourse was made significantly wider than required to accommodate various functions and uses.
With a unique split bowl design, the arena navigates a tight sloped site while creating an intimate scale for home-court advantage. This project will help Towson to recruit, retain, and compete at the top level of NCAA Division I Basketball—and create a compelling spectator experience.
Necessitated in part by the tight site, the SECU Arena plan is actually two offset boxes—one larger building volume that is the actual arena bowl, and a two-story box that is skewed so that the lower portion of the building appears to point in the direction of the 300-foot promenade by which spectators approach the building’s entry. A generous eave accentuates this effect and copious glass keeps the building contemporary and ushers in natural light.
The New SECU Arena is a multi-use indoor arena facility. In addition to the greater seating capacity, the facility provides a new practice facility, multiple flexible program spaces, classrooms, offices, an upgraded technology system and multimedia system, as well as an engaging and spacious lobby. Towson University’s SECU Arena has been awarded LEED Gold certification for its innovative and efficient design.
