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With an estimated total project value exceeding $95 million, the largest privately funded project in the history of the California State University system is now underway at Fresno State. It is anticipated that over one million spectators a year will visit the new Save Mart Center, which will be the home court for the Fresno State Bulldogs basketball team, as well as the site of rodeos, concerts, family shows and cultural events. The Irvine, Calif. office of Clark Construction Group, LLC is serving as general contractor on this project.
Seating capacity for the facility will range from 15,000 to 18,000. Designed by Sink Combs Dethlefs of Denver, the 450,000-gross-square-foot center will contain 32 private suites, 1,000 club seats, a club level concourse, team locker rooms and athletic training facilities. The facade features punch windows and stucco in buff, eggshell and redwood colors. The clear height in the arena bowl is over 75 feet high, tall enough to encompass a six-story building. Over 4.25 million pounds of structural steel will be used throughout the facility. In addition, the facility will include state-of-the-art video, sound and telecom systems.
“We are pleased Clark Construction is a member of the project team,” said Deborah Adishan-Astone, executive director of auxiliary services at Fresno State and Save Mart Center coordinator. “The expertise of the Clark Sports division in building major sports facilities will be a benefit to the Save Mart Center project.”
The sports arena will also be a catalyst for Central California’s economic development. With a current population base of three million within Central California’s nine-county region, the Save Mart Center will offer a variety of events to serve a growing community.
In addition to Clark and the architect, the project team includes John A. Martin Associates of Los Angeles, structural engineer and ME Engineers of Wheat Ridge, Colo., mechanical and electrical engineer.
Financing for the project will be provided through revenue from corporate sponsorships, private gifts, leasing of luxury suites, sale of club seats and personal seat licenses as well as revenue from advertising and signage agreements. The anticipated completion date of the project is Fall 2003.
Clark Construction Group, LLC is headquartered in Bethesda, Md.
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