DSU's facilities crowded due to construction

ABA team may not find place to play in Dover

By KRISTIAN POPE, The News Journal

DOVER -- The proposed American Basketball Association franchise in Dover is in danger of losing its home court before it even plays a game.

Washington, D.C., businessman Bob Reed wanted his team to play at Delaware State University. But an ongoing campus renovation project has shut down one of the school's gyms.

Delaware State athletic director Rick Costello called the team's plans to play the 2007-08 ABA season at Memorial Hall "inaccurate," but added he is trying to work out a solution that would allow the franchise to play at the main gym beginning in November.

DSU's construction of a $21 million strength & conditioning center and wellness center recently entered its second phase, which closed the school's auxiliary gym and moved all athletic teams and school activities to Memorial Hall, the only remaining gym, until December 2008 at the earliest.

"It's simply a matter of space," Costello said. "We have men's basketball, women's basketball and they need time in the gym. Then we have intramurals. That's a lot of demand on one gym."

Reed, the franchise's general manager, said Friday he was positive the team would play at Memorial Hall beginning in November. He said he was aware of construction at DSU, but was informed it would not interfere with the ABA's schedule.

The strength complex could open as early as next month. The wellness center recently forced the closure of the school's auxiliary gym. The auxiliary gym served as the school's only playing surface until the 1980s.

Reed said his team will play regular-season games from early November to early March. The league's games are traditionally played at night on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays, Reed said, but the Dover team might play some Tuesday night games.

Costello said DSU requires gym space in the fall and winter for home men's and women's basketball games, women's volleyball games and home wrestling matches. Practice times for those teams are needed, as are practice times for baseball and softball on cold-weather days.

DSU's home men's basketball schedule begins Nov. 9-10 in the Hornet Round-Ball Classic. The basketball teams' Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference games are scheduled as doubleheaders on eight days between Jan. 19 and March 6.

Reed said he initially had discussions with former DSU athletic director Chuck Bell and his associate, Doug Dowdy. Bell retired in July, and Dowdy resigned to accept a similar position at Eastern Michigan University. Costello took over as athletic director in July.

The ABA would pay DSU to use its facility. Costello said they have not agreed to a fee yet. Reed would not comment.

"We'd like to be as entrepreneurial as possible to bring revenue to the university," Costello said. "We're still talking about it."

Reed said he chose Dover after conducting market research, which included Wilmington and Richmond, Va. Wilmington was scratched because it lacks adequate facilities, Reed said.

Reed said eventually he would like to play in the 9,000-seat arena that has been long proposed in Dover by the Delaware Civic Center Corporation off U.S. 13 behind Lowe's. If Memorial Hall cannot accommodate the team, he said Wesley College might be an option. He said he has not made any contact with Wesley yet.

"Delaware State was our first choice," Reed said. "We believed this was the best demographic and market for it."