AU Facilities - Basketball Arena

Facilities Division Design and Construction

Architect:

360 Architecture is an innovative, full-service architectural and interior design practice that serves the needs and goals of clients and their communities by delivering building and space solutions of enduring quality. The firm is widely recognized for excellence in planning, design and execution across a diversity of projects, including sports arenas and ballparks, corporate and commercial office buildings, mixed-use entertainment districts, municipal and government facilities, and single- and multi-family residential buildings. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, 360 has offices in San Francisco, Columbus, Des Moines and Dallas.

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Project Manager:

Don Loudermilk, Principal,

VenueGroup LLC

Mr. Loudermilk has represented numerous owners in sports and entertainment development projects. He has most recently provided owners representation services to the New National Sports Stadium for the Canadian Soccer Association, the new NBA Charlotte Bobcats Arena, the National Tennis Center for the Canadian Open, and the New Wembley National Stadium in London. He is often called upon to provide strategic planning services to minimize development risks while optimizing the patron experience and facility revenues.

With more than twenty-five years of experience in creating innovative stadiums and arenas, Don Loudermilk was one of the founding members of HOK Sport, a principal of Rossetti Architects and a Principal with IMG Solutions a Program Management arm of IMG. A list of his more notable engagements would include Arthur Ashe Stadium for the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, Ford Field for the NFL’s Detroit Lions, the Constant Center Arena at Old Dominion University, Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, and the renovation of Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin. Major events he has consulted for include Super Bowls, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, the NCAA Final Four, the Asian Games and the Summer Olympics.

Mr. Loudermilk has been invited to speak to numerous groups on sports facility development. These include the Urban Land Institute, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, the IAKS’ European meetings, the Arena Managers and Stadium Managers annual meetings and the Department of Development in Düsseldorf, Germany. He was a co-author of the Architectural Encyclopedia’s chapter on Stadium Design and has been retained as a design expert in major conflict resolutions that include Comiskey Park, the New England Patriots Gillette Stadium, and the Glendale Arena.

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Construction Manager:

Robins & Morton

Robins & Morton is a program manager, construction manager and general contractor with offices in Birmingham, Nashville, Orlando, Dallas, Charlotte and Huntsville. Engineering News-Record ranks the firm 75th among the nation’s Top 400 Contractors. Robins & Morton provides construction management services for a variety of projects including athletic, educational, commercial and healthcare facilities.

The unique relationships we have with our clients are driven by the core values of our company. We are proud of the fact that over 80% of our customer base today is made up of repeat clients. The main reason we enjoy an "A" rating from the people we do business with is because we establish their goals and needs as our top priority.

This approach, combined with the experienced people, systematic planning, and proven performance we commit to every project, allows us to offer our clients more control, lower costs, higher quality and earlier occupancy.

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AU Project Manager:

Joe Kopiness

Joe Kopiness is a Senior Project Manager in Design & Construction Services and has been with the Auburn University Facilities Division since June, 2001. During his tenure he has been directly responsible for or had oversight on over 90 construction projects for Auburn University across the entire campus for various schools and departments. Some of the more notable projects for Athletics include; the Jordan-Hare Expansion and Suite Renovation, the Jordan-Hare Concourse Renovation, the Golf Teaching Facility, the new Track & Field Facility, the Strength & Rehab Center, the Artificial Turf Practice Field and the Soccer Complex Lighting, Field Replacement and Other Improvements. He is currently working on the AU Hotel and Conference Center Guest Room Renovation, the Football Locker & Training Room Renovation and Building #1 of the Auburn University Research Park. Mr. Kopiness is also a member of Auburn University’s ADA Structural Modifications Committee.

Prior to coming to Auburn University Mr. Kopiness spent seven years, 1993 to 2000, working for, first the United Nations and then NATO in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo where he built and maintained facilities for soldiers from various nations and finally constructing the NATO Headquarters Complex in Sarajevo which consisted of several office buildings, 26 barracks, and facilities for vehicle maintenance, dining, medical communications, fire fighting, security and laundry along with all the infrastructure to support them. Mr. Kopiness is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse, has a Masters Degree in Engineering Management from Mercer University and retired from the U.S. Army, Corp of Engineers, in 1992.

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