Overview
- The university, which announced the pause Sunday, will hold all Smith Center planning until a new men’s coach is in place.
- Leaders say arena talks will restart only after the hire has time to settle in and outline long‑term program needs.
- Two advisory groups that were set up to study options, one of former players and one of students, are suspended.
- UNC’s studies outline the stakes: more than $150 million to keep the 40‑year‑old arena running for 20 years, about $600 million for a major renovation, and nearly $800 million for a new arena at Carolina North, with a new build projected to add up to $20 million a year in revenue.
- Perpetual seat rights held by roughly 4,300 donors complicate any redesign or move, while the administration has leaned toward a new build and figures like Roy Williams and Tyler Hansbrough have urged renovation.