University Of St. Thomas Gets $75 Million To Build New Sports Arena

ST. PAUL, MN — The University of St. Thomas will build a new, multi-use sports arena using a $75 million "lead naming gift" from Lee and Penny Anderson, the administration announced Tuesday.

The Andersons are long-time benefactors of St. Thomas, Minnesota’s largest private university. Their latest donation is one of the 10 largest known collegiate athletics gifts ever received nationally, according to St. Thomas.

The new arena will be constructed on the university's south campus in St. Paul and will be home to its Division I men’s and women’s hockey and basketball programs.

The university said Tuesday it is still raising money for the $175 million project, with plans to break ground in 2024 and open in the fall of 2025. View preliminary designs here.

St. Thomas is partnering with Ryan Companies US, Inc. and Crawford Architects

"This is about more than just hockey and basketball games – this is a gift that will be transformative for our entire St. Paul campus, enhance the experience of our students, and raise visibility for the university as a whole," said St. Thomas President Rob Vischer in a news release.

"It also creates a new community and economic asset for the Twin Cities, the state of Minnesota, and the region."

The Anderson family is now the Catholic university's largest donor. Their previous contributions include the construction of:

• The Anderson Student Center
• The Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex
• The Anderson Parking Facility