University of South Carolina wants to renovate old arena

The University of South Carolina plans to renovate the 45-year-old Carolina Coliseum to create a western hub for its expanding Columbia campus. The Columbia State reports that the university is seeking to spend $125 million to convert the 12,000-seat arena into classrooms and labs, a center for student services, an adjunct student union and a practice facility for the school's basketball teams. The coliseum had been the home arena for University of South Carolina's basketball teams until 2002, when the facility now known as Colonial Life Arena opened.