The Auburn board will vote to scrap previous plans to build a new basketball practice facility, replacing the plans with a proposed $9 million renovation to Neville Arena, according to the materials documents for the Auburn Board of Trustees Feb. 7 meeting.

The Auburn BOT previously approved a project to build a new basketball practice facility in 2022, but the board will now vote to dissolve those plans. Neville Arena is used by Auburn’s men’s basketball, women’s basketball, gymnastics and volleyball teams, and both the men’s and women’s basketball teams share the practice gym.

“Due to the heavy use of the competition floor and existing practice gym, this project’s originally proposed scope of work included the construction of an additional practice gymnasium and expanded team support spaces,” the materials read. “However, during the design process, the Athletics Department adjusted the scope to properly and reasonably address the original project goals without requiring the construction of an additional practice gym.”

According to the materials, the new project will be titled “Neville Arena – Team Support Improvements,” and “will renovate 22,500 square feet within the arena providing enhancements to the existing practice gym, scholarship lobby upgrades, and relocated and enlarged team meeting and office spaces within the men’s and women’s basketball suites.”

When speaking to reporters in September 2022, Pearl said the original project for a new practice facility was being pushed back so Auburn could prioritize NIL.

“We’ve got to take care of the NIL space first — in all sports,” Pearl said at the time. “First, that’s got to be one of our commitments and our objectives…. We’ve got some other things to take care of before we take care of the practice facility.”

Pearl was asked again about the project in 2024, shortly after it was announced that Jordan-Hare Stadium would undergo renovations for a new videoboard.

“It’s not that the men’s basketball practice facility or more space in Neville is not needed and have been improved,” Pearl said in January 2024. “It’s just that the best way that I can tell all of our fans, for all of our sports, was when our project was up next, let’s call timeout and get some of these other things right first.”

The new project is estimated to cost $9 million and will be financed by athletics department funds, according to the meeting materials.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m