Idaho State University has a major donor for a new Pocatello basketball and events arena, and a clear condition for breaking ground: secure the private funding first.
The university announced Idaho Central Credit Union's commitment on Oct. 8. Its current project page puts the proposed ICCU Bengal Arena at $75 million to $80 million, with gifts covering the full project cost. The amount of ICCU's contribution has not been disclosed.
For local families, the proposal means a possible new destination for games, graduations and concerts. For taxpayers, the financing plan matters just as much as the seating chart: ISU says the arena project will be funded entirely through private support.
The gift starts the campaign, not construction
ICCU's commitment will arrive over multiple years through the ISU Foundation. University President Robert Wagner described it as a major step in a partnership that has already lasted more than a decade. Additional donors are still needed.
ISU expects architectural planning and design to take roughly a year. That work will settle the building's scope, final price and exact location. Fundraising will run alongside it, and construction will begin only after the required private money has been secured. There is no announced opening date.
The university currently anticipates placing the arena north of the ICCU Dome. That is a proposed location, not a completed site decision. The design process will determine precisely where it goes.
Early coverage described a $70 million to $80 million project with about 4,500 seats. ISU's own project page now gives the narrower cost estimate of $75 million to $80 million and a seating range of 4,000 to 4,500. Both figures remain estimates pending design.
Those distinctions leave supporters with a substantial commitment to build on, rather than a fully funded venue ready for contractors. University officials also plan to offer additional naming opportunities as the campaign continues.
A home court that could host more than basketball
Bengal basketball currently plays at Reed Gymnasium. University leaders say that building's seating and scheduling limits have constrained attendance and the events ISU can accommodate. The proposed arena would provide a different setting for athletes, spectators and gatherings beyond the university's sports calendar.
Plans include premium seating as well as conventional seats. Officials envision concerts, trade shows, commencement ceremonies and high school state tournaments among the potential uses. Those are intended capabilities, not a list of events already booked.
Athletic Director Pauline Thiros has tied the project to opportunities for both student-athletes and the surrounding community. University leaders also see a chance to attract larger events that the region cannot currently accommodate and to generate additional revenue. No specific event-income total was provided in the announcement.
That broader purpose gives the proposal a local stake beyond wins and losses. A venue on the Pocatello campus could serve families attending a graduation as well as fans coming to watch the Bengals. Whether it can do so, and on what schedule, remains tied to design and fundraising.
ICCU builds on an existing Idaho sports footprint
The credit union's ties to the area are direct. Its headquarters are in the Pocatello-Chubbuck area, and President and CEO Brenda Worrell is an ISU graduate. She cited the university connections of credit union employees and members in explaining the investment.
ICCU previously helped finance improvements to ISU's domed venue between 2021 and 2023 and obtained naming rights in 2024. Elsewhere in Idaho, it contributed $10 million toward the University of Idaho's $51 million basketball arena, a 4,200-seat facility that opened in 2021. That earlier contribution is separate from the undisclosed Pocatello gift.
The next steps at ISU are more design work and more private commitments. The university has identified who it expects to pay for the project. Securing that money will determine when the arena can move from drawings to construction.