By: LARRY VAUGHT
Kentucky fan Tom McCauley called us on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk indicating that with the proposed Rupp Arena renovation, the top seats in the upper deck would be 10 rows farther from the floor. He followed what with an email about the seating that could have a big impact on those fans sitting in the upper deck.
“Please feel free to confirm that the upper arena seats will be 10 rows higher because of the luxury boxes. Plus they plan to shape the upper arena in a bowl which will make the sight lines longer and not as good as they are now,” said McCauley. “I have been to MSG (Madison Square Garden). I was surprised how far you seemed to be away from the court even in the lower portions of the arena because of the bowl shape.
“I called the (Lexington) mayor’s call-in show and he called me back and told me all seats will start where Row 10 is now (in the upper deck). Where else are they going to put the luxury boxes? So it makes sense but I have never heard this mentioned. The Mayor called me back and did not say this on his radio show.”
That left me wondering what might be happening, so I contacted UK deputy director of athletics DeWayne Peevy.
“Total number is reduced upstairs but we don’t have details of rows. The reduction is replaced downstairs with club seating in the original plan,” said Peevy.
But will the top seats be farther from the floor with the renovation plans?
“I'm not sure. Didn't get too far in the process on the UK side,” Peevy said of the stalled negotiations.
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