Column: Why the new Arena District would hurt Miami

COLUMN

Millett Hall is a Miami University institution; it has witnessed the on-court wizardry of Ron Harper, the magic of Wally Szczerbiak and the 1999 season, and the unprecedented 2026 RedHawk men’s and women’s basketball seasons. It has hosted iconic musical acts like Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and Fleetwood Mac, establishing the arena as a cultural landmark.

Miami prides itself on its rich history. Destroying both Millett as well as Cook Field is antithetical to the university’s efforts for historical preservation.

It should not be disregarded that Millett needs renovations. That being said, it does not require the complete destruction of Miami’s oldest athletic facility.

The university administration makes several arguments in support of the new arena, the first of which is that the Cook Field location will increase student attendance. Last year, the public perceived this as a sound argument; however, the success of this season proves that a team’s record is the main driver of attendance.

The men's basketball team will not go undefeated year after year, but consistent winning and a culture of success will keep attendance at Millett near 8,000 people. The best way to ensure the continued success of the basketball program is to use the money that could have been used on a new stadium to pay both coaches and athletes more.

Travis Steele is a once-in-a-lifetime coach. Retaining him should be of utmost importance to the athletic department, and realistically, the best way to do so is to maintain a competitive salary like Gonzaga University does with head coach Mark Few. The large financial burden a new arena would saddle the university with would eat into the budget to keep Steele.

Additionally, this budget can be used to continue to attract the excellent talent this coaching staff has lured to Miami. If the athletic department is serious regarding its commitment to the continued growth of the basketball program, this option should have been weighed more heavily. Providing coaches and players with an increased financial commitment is critical to establishing Miami as a serious mid-major basketball program.

To capitalize on the recent success of the basketball program, renovations could be made to address Millett’s problematic elements. Adding more permanent seating behind the opposing basket would strengthen the already-dominant home court advantage. This concept would allow a raucous wall of students to sit right behind the basket and nearly on the court, a concept that has proven successful at many mid-major schools, like Gonzaga and Butler University.

Updating locker room facilities is another opportunity for improvement in Millett, modernizing the conditions for the athletes who use the space daily. These upgrades limit frivolous spending by focusing on the issues that need to be addressed.

The fan experience at Millett does not require much alteration; regardless of which arena the team uses, concession stands, seats, hallways and concourses are effectively the same. Millett has an old and unique design within the area that gives it a retro charm.

In a new arena, the same formulaic, corporatized layout seen throughout hundreds of gyms in the country will inevitably be used. Miami is much better served by an arena with an older facade cloaked in history than a new age cookie-cutter facility that will likely be plagued by the same issues in 30 years.

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Cook Field has served Miami students for as long as many alumni can remember. As an Oxford landmark, many long for its continued service. The university could leverage this facility for traditional events such as the Cook Field Music Festival and other events that would bring more recognition and financial opportunities.

Miami will be better served prioritizing alterations on the facilities it has used for more than 60 years in order to keep its rich tradition alive, rather than scraping it all together.

@themeneghetti

meneghcj@miamioh.edu