By The Keystone Newspaper Scheduled to reopen January 2028
By Gianna Failla
For the first time in 54 years, Keystone Hall, the home of KU’s Golden Bear Athletics, will undergo renovations beginning in May 2026. The renovation will feature a modernized building for KU student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans and is scheduled to open in January 2028.
Renee Hellert, KU’s athletic director described how it feels to bring a fresh experience to incoming and current KU students and athletes.
“It will be amazing to have a modernized facility that will be one of the newest in the PSAC East. This will give us a competitive edge in recruiting,” Hellert said. “It will also be a space that will be used for camps and conferences services and will provide opportunities for non-student athletes to experience the space.”
The modern styled renovations, funded by state capital funds, will add upgrades to the foundations already in place since 1971. These include updated locker rooms and office spaces for teams and staff, upgrades to the Keystone Pool and Arena, an updated lobby and ticket booth with additional square footage and a fully enclosed renovated wrestling room.
Photo Credit: KU Bears Athletics Website
Several new additions will be implemented such as three new team rooms for video review and study halls, and accessible entrances including elevators. The arena will feature a new bleacher system, restored floor, press box and lounge overlooking the arena.
Hellert expressed that the main goals for this project are to reduce any wasted space within the facility and increase the experience for all to enjoy.
“Make the building more efficient; there is a lot of wasted space or space that is only usable for certain events,” Hellert said. “The new space will have HVAC, mechanical updates and technology updates that will make it a more comfortable place not only to play a sport but also to be a visitor and a spectator.”
KU athletes, coaches and staff were heavily considered when shaping renovation plans. Hellert shared that focus groups were in place to discuss what these stakeholders wanted to see in this renovated space.
“Early in the planning process, there were several student-athletes, coaches and staff focus groups to discuss our current facility challenges and what these stakeholders wanted to see in a renovated space,” she said. “Once the design started, coaches and athletic staff had several opportunities to provide feedback on overall design and also on sport specific needs and wants.”
O’Pake Fieldhouse will become the temporary hotspot for women’s volleyball, men and women’s basketball, women’s acrobatics and tumbling, and wrestling practices. Throughout this process, the teams will face new accommodations and will be provided with support to maintain a normal season.
“Our goal is to try our best to keep all our programs on-campus for practices. This will limit the time they spend on the road during those days,” Hellert said. “The teams that use Keystone for competition will play more non-conference contests on the road during the renovations. We will use local school districts and colleges to assist when it comes to competition space for our home conference schedules.”
Community members and alumni are welcome to contribute financially through opportunities such as purchasing lockers, which is expected to be announced soon by the University Foundation.