The Dane County Board on Thursday hired a local firm to gather community input on the redevelopment of the Alliant Energy Center.
Vandewalle & Associates, which is headquartered in the same neighborhood as the Alliant Center, will work with local officials and Madison residents over the next six months to help the board create a master plan for the county-owned campus.
“Considering the site is literally in our front yard, we are really excited about the project and are anxious to get underway,” said Vandewalle planner Scott Harrington.
Vandewalle will gather public input on the development and priorities of the Alliant Center and work to raise public awareness of possible developments before any final decisions are made by the board. It will also work with the community to define a long-term vision for the entire Alliant Center grounds.
Also on Thursday, the full board heard the final results of a study on the future of the Alliant Center, which could cost the county more than $242 million to renovate.
Hunden Strategic Partners presented its analysis of the Alliant Center. Robin Hunden and his firm suggested major renovations of the Alliant Center as a whole and specifically the Dane County Coliseum, which has been the focus of the campus’ public scrutiny.
“Everyone loves the Coliseum, but it’s bittersweet because it hasn’t kept up with the times,” Hunden said.
Hunden said the Coliseum has become less attractive over its decades of use as new venues offer more amenities like green rooms and better lighting and sound capabilities. He said it would take $105 million in renovations to feel “like new” without completely rebuilding the facility.
Sink Combs Dethlefs Architecture Design, which consulted on the study, found the Coliseum should widen the circular facility to expand the concourses, which would allow for more restrooms and food vendors as well as provide better accessibility for people with disabilities.
Sup. Dave de Felice asked about the possibility of renovating only parts of the Coliseum to reduce the cost, but Donald Dethlefs, CEO of Sink Combs Dethlefs, said without most of the updates, the Coliseum wouldn’t be a top choice as an entertainment venue.
“You can always do less and spend less money, but it will still feel like a second-rate facility,” Dethlefs said.
Other suggested updates to the campus include expanding the Exhibition Hall, constructing a new show ring at the New Holland Pavilions and landscaping the campus. Hunden also suggested adding hotels and restaurants to the campus that would be privately funded.
By: Shelley Mesch
Source: Wisconsin State Journal