Panel OKs SDSU Plans for Center
The proposed 12,000-seat Student Activities Center, designed for varsity basketball and major concerts on the campus of San Diego State University, won unanimous approval from a state education committee Tuesday and will be voted on by the full board today.
The board of the California State University System will vote on the proposed arena at its meeting in Long Beach, and, although approval is expected, that doesn’t mean an automatic green light for construction, SDSU spokesman George Cole said.
The proposed arena has been the target of controversy since SDSU students voted to build it through a $47-per-semester fee increase in 1988, Cole said. Neighborhood groups in the campus area have opposed the project, fearing sharp increases in noise and traffic.
Eight people testified on the issue at the committee’s meeting in Long Beach on Tuesday, Cole said. Two students testified on behalf of the project, as did two people from the immediate neighborhood.
Four people spoke out against the project, including City Councilwoman Judy McCarty, who suggested it be delayed. Several environmental impact reports have been ordered for the project, whose opponents may still file a lawsuit.
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