University of Texas Arlington

09 September 2011

Media Contact: Traci Peterson, Office:817-272-9208, Cell:817-521-5494, tpeterso@uta.edu

UT Arlington's College Park Center is scheduled to open early next year.

The $78 million, 7,000-seat center in downtown Arlington is scheduled to open early next year. It is the focal point of College Park District, a 20-acre development that will also include 25,000-square-feet of street-level retail space, student housing, green space and 1,800 parking spaces in garages.

Arlington, Bowie, Lamar, Sam Houston and Seguin high schools in the Arlington school district will hold their graduation ceremonies at the College Park Center in June 2012. Colleyville Heritage High School and Grapevine High School in the Grapevine-Colleyville district and Nolan Catholic High School of Fort Worth have also scheduled their commencements at the center in May.

“Our vision is for the College Park Center to become a destination point for people from Arlington and surrounding communities, including Fort Worth and Dallas,” said John Hall, UT Arlington’s vice president for administration and campus operations. “We look forward to seeing thousands of North Texas students receive their diplomas and celebrate with family and friends.”

College Park Center will become the home court for UT Arlington basketball and volleyball in 2012, with the first basketball game in the new venue expected Feb. 1. Designed by international architecture firm HKS Inc., College Park Center also will be a venue of choice for concerts, lectures and other events.

“We are looking forward to having five of our schools graduate at the College Park Center this spring,” said Jerry McCullough, Arlington school district superintendent. “It is exciting to be holding graduation ceremonies back in Arlington.”

To book an event for College Park Center, please contact Jeff Davis at 817-272-5584 or jmdavis@uta.edu.

The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of nearly 34,000 students in the heart of North Texas. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more.