I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the information session in Biloxi today. FWIW, it was a very nice gathering, rather intimate with space for maybe 40 and I'm guessing 30-ish in attendance. As it was scheduled from noon to 1, lunch was provided. They did a very good job with the event, IMOHO.
On to the nuts and bolts...Here is a full-sized scan of the info sheet of which I posted the photo from Twitter earlier (click to embiggen all images from here on out):
Populous provided 4 different seating configuration options. The first consists of a single deck of seating with the club/meeting area hidden behind the seats:
The second is a single deck of seating with the club/meeting area opening into the arena:
Option 3 is a split-level configuration with the club/meeting area behind the seating:
Option 4 is a split-level configuration with the club/meeting area opening into the arena:
Option 4 is the favored of the proposals, which is why you've seen it the most. McGillis said all four would cost the same to do. The split-level configuration has two big advantages for fans: 1) the space between the two decks is the concourse, so the split allows for a 360-degree view of the court from the concourse, and 2) the upper deck is cantilevered to where it overhangs the top rows of lower-deck seats, so the upper-level seats are closer to the court than they'd be with one continuous deck. Another advantage of the split decks is that the rim provides a location for a circumferential ribbon board and additional advertisements. The opening of the club area into the arena is a no-brainer.
Populous presented the practice courts as an additional option in addition to reforming the arena, but McGillis said that will be re-drafted to be included as part of the base project. Other possible add-ons would be a relocation of the main athletic ticket office into the building, space to relocate the USM-based National Center for Spectator Sports Safety, and a fan shop.
The next step forward is completing estimates on what it would cost to run the facility in its new incarnation and what kind of revenue it could bring in.
McGillis said he expects the bulk of 2015 to be about lining up the funding. He said his talks with various public officials and other interests on campus (e.g., the Dept. of Music using the Coliseum as a performance venue) have been very positive thus far.
Once the funding is sorted out, it'll take an additional 8-10 months for architects to finalize the details of the design, and from there, 10-12 months of actual construction.
McGillis said he envisions a year of construction going as such:
-closing the building after the applicable basketball season
-having construction run through roughly November of that year with non-conference home games played in Biloxi, Jackson, etc.
-returning to the arena with it partially completed to complete the rest of the season
-then completing construction after that season.
The biggest thing McGillis hammered throughout the presentation is the multi-purpose nature of the arena and how it can be an asset to not just our athletic program, but the surrounding area and entire region. That's a pretty easy case to make as no comparable facility exists between Jackson and the Coast, and the meeting space on the club level alone could host numerous events per week.