Cedar Falls, Iowa – The first phase of a plan to modernize the 48-year-old UNI Dome in Cedar Falls was completed last month and the board that governs the University of Northern Iowa has approved moving ahead with the second phase of the project.
Michael Hager is the senior vice president for finance and operations at the University of Northern Iowa.
The UNI-Dome hosts the high school football championships and hosts UNI football games. The dome has been updated, with a new Teflon-coated fiberglass roof.
UNI officials say the $16 million plan for the second phase of the project is focused on the fan experience.
The aisles in seating areas will be widened and handrails will be added. Seating capacity will drop from about 16,000 to around 12,000. Hager says that’s due to wider aisles and the removal of some seating to expand loge boxes, plus each seat will be wider.
According to Hager, the upgrades to seating will have a positive financial impact.
There were 25,000 people at the Fleetwood Mac concert in the UNI-Dome back in 1989, but Hager says given changes in the music industry the UNI-Dome is likely not a big enough arena to attract major acts.
