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The time is now.<\/strong> Greenville is ready. Our fans are ready. And Furman is ready. The vision: to transform Timmons Arena into a first-class facility that will stand among the best in the NCAA and help to secure the Paladins\u2019 place among the nation\u2019s most competitive Division I teams.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The primarily donor-funded Timmons campaign is anchored by a $10 million gift from philanthropist and businessman Ravenel Curry \u201963.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI cannot wait to welcome the Furman community, near and far, and in fact, the whole country, to what will be a state-of-the-art facility,\u201d says Furman University President Elizabeth Davis. \u201cWe are grateful to Ravenel for his longstanding commitment to Furman and for his generosity and vision for this crucially important project, one that will advance the university\u2019s reputation, prestige and excellence.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The arena project is a perfect opportunity to strengthen Furman\u2019s regional foothold as Greenville\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>team, says Erin Wissing, Furman\u2019s senior associate athletic director and executive director of athletics development. And with a $40 million renovation and expansion, the home of Greenville\u2019s team will be Furman\u2019s Timmons Arena.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe believe that a strategic investment in basketball can directly contribute to advancing the programs and the prestige of the institution as a whole,\u201d says Wissing. \u201cThere\u2019s no greater catalyst than creating a program consistently in the NCAA tournament to expand an institution\u2019s branding on an international scale.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The success of similar campaigns by institutions such as Loyola Chicago, Butler, Gonzaga and Villanova back up Wissing\u2019s words. Those schools all invested strategically in their basketball programs and were rewarded by numerous tournament appearances and millions in earned media, spiking interest from prospective students and student-athletes.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe platform that the NCAA tournament provides is one of the most powerful of the country,\u201d says Wissing, noting that March Madness fans fill out tens of millions of brackets each year. \u201cThe power alone of having Furman\u2019s name written out over 70 million times \u2013 we can\u2019t pay for that type of exposure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Furman fans celebrated on March 6, when the men\u2019s basketball team captured its first Southern Conference Tournament title and NCAA berth since 1980 with an 88-79 victory over Chattanooga.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As things stand now, \u201cThe competitive advantage of Timmons Arena is tremendous for our teams, but the fan, coach and student-athlete experience leaves much to be desired,\u201d says Jason Donnelly, vice president for intercollegiate athletics.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cRenovating and expanding the existing basketball facilities will make an immediate impact on recruiting and retention of talent, while demonstrating the university\u2019s commitment to positioning basketball to drive prestige and national brand recognition for the institution.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The renovation will land Furman with \u201cone of the best arenas in mid-major basketball and beyond,\u201d and will also help secure the long-term success of Furman Athletics, he says, with an emphasis on revenue generation and philanthropy as key pillars.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Timmons Arena Project<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Phase I<\/span><\/b>: Basketball Offices, Locker Rooms, and Film Rooms were renovated and expanded (construction complete)<\/span><\/p>\n Phase II<\/span><\/b>:\u00a0<\/span>Arena Renovation \u2013 Will include the addition of donor suites; premium seating and hospitality; improved student experience; enhanced food, beverage and merchandise concession areas; upgrades to the entrance and exterior; and changes to the court and seating area.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Phase III<\/span><\/b>: Player Development Center \u2013 following the successful completion and funding of Phase II, Furman will raise funds to construct a dedicated practice facility for men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball. (Not included in $40 million Phase II scope.)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n