By Austin Miller, GTM Lead, Esport Supply
For many universities, renovating an existing campus space is the most practical way to build an esports facility. But there comes a point where working around an old room’s power, cooling, layout, accessibility, or size can create so many compromises that new construction or a major addition deserves a serious look.
Start With What the Program Needs the Space to Do
Before deciding between renovation and new construction, define what you’re actually building. A 20-station varsity practice room has very different requirements from a campus gaming center with recreation, broadcasting, classes, events, and spectators.
If a well-located classroom, computer lab, bookstore, or student-union space can support those needs without major structural changes, renovation can be a very good option. It can get the program open sooner, reuse existing campus space, and keep esports close to places students already spend time. Georgia Tech, for example, recently converted existing space in its Campus Recreation Center for an esports suite supporting competitive gaming, casual play, and events.
The question isn’t really whether an existing room is available. It’s whether it’s the right room.
An Empty Room Isn’t Necessarily a Cheap Room
This is where renovation projects can fool you a little. A university already owns the room, so it feels like the expensive part has been solved. Then facilities and IT start looking at electrical service, cooling, wired networking, fire protection, security, acoustics, accessibility, and construction.
Esports can place very different demands on a building than the room’s previous use. Thirty gaming PCs, monitors, production equipment, and students create heat and power requirements that an old classroom may never have been designed to handle. Columns, low ceilings, windows, fixed walls, and awkward entrances can also reduce how much of the listed square footage is actually useful.
That’s why we’d evaluate infrastructure before becoming attached to a floor plan. Our article on esports arena square footage goes deeper into how circulation, broadcasting, accessibility, storage, and infrastructure affect the amount of space a facility really needs.
Renovation Can Still Produce a Serious Esports Facility
Renovating doesn’t mean settling for a small esports room. Illinois State University transformed a former bowling and billiards space into an esports facility of more than 11,000 square feet with 72 gaming PCs, dedicated varsity rooms, consoles, broadcasting, and student-support areas.
That’s a good reminder that the decision isn’t simply “small renovation versus big new arena.” Existing spaces can support ambitious programs when the building, location, and infrastructure cooperate. They can also become expensive projects once substantial mechanical, electrical, accessibility, and construction work enters the picture.
Before comparing options, universities should look at the complete project cost. Our guide to university esports facility costs explains why construction, networking, furniture, technology, broadcasting, and long-term operations all belong in that calculation.
When Does New Construction Make More Sense?
New construction or a major addition becomes more attractive when the university wants a large public-facing facility, significant spectator seating, extensive broadcasting, academic spaces, or room for future expansion that existing buildings simply can’t provide.
The University of Texas at Dallas took that approach with its new Comets LANding facility. The approximately 16,000-square-foot esports and gaming center includes more than 100 PCs, an esports arena, broadcast capabilities, and additional student amenities. Starting with a purpose-built addition allowed the university to create the program around the facility rather than forcing the program into the limitations of an existing room.
Of course, that flexibility comes with a larger institutional commitment. New construction generally means more design, approvals, construction time, infrastructure, and money, so the program needs a strong reason for needing that level of facility.
Don’t Underestimate Location
I’d rather see a university seriously consider a good existing room in the center of student life than automatically assume a standalone building is better. Visibility affects recreational use, campus tours, events, academic connections, staffing, and whether students casually discover the facility.
That doesn’t mean the busiest location always wins. Varsity teams may need controlled access and quieter practice areas, while recreation benefits from visibility and foot traffic. The important thing is to compare locations using the same criteria: usable space, infrastructure, accessibility, student traffic, broadcasting, event potential, operating costs, and ability to grow.
This is also where the business case for university esports becomes important. The facility should support the outcomes the university expects from the program rather than becoming the goal itself.
Renovate or Build New?
For most universities, we’d evaluate renovation first. If an existing space is well located, large enough, and can support the necessary power, cooling, networking, accessibility, and program functions without excessive compromise, renovation can be a very practical answer.
New construction makes more sense when the university needs something existing buildings can’t reasonably provide, whether that’s scale, spectators, broadcasting, academic integration, public events, or long-term expansion.
The key is comparing both options against the same program. Don’t compare a modest 24-station renovation with a 100-station arena and conclude that renovation is cheaper. Decide what the university actually needs, price both approaches honestly, and choose the space that can support that program for years without constantly working around the building.
