UNI closer to arena fundraising goal

Northern Iowa athletic director Rick Hartzell says the school is in the final stages of fund-raising for a new arena. UNI officials announced in July of 2000 a plan to construct the McCleod Center which will become the new home of Panther basketball, volleyball and wrestling. He says they’re about one million dollars away from getting the 18-million dollars committed to get approval from the Board of Regents. Hartzell says they’d like to have the money raised by October. Hartzell says if the timeline holds the arena could open in two years.