University of Oregon’s McArthur Court is known around the PAC-10 as one of the loudest, rowdiest, courts imaginable.

And those steep seats in on the third level seem to look straight down on the court.

But its also 80 years old and the building’s been eyed for replacement for years.

In 2003 University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer said the new building, with 15,000 seats, would be impressive.

“Probably the most important basketball arena between Portland and San Francisco,” he said.

But four years later, Mac Court still stands.

A new model unveiled today in Eugene could replace the old building.

Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny says it would hold 12,500 fans and cost $170 million to build.

Why hasn’t it already happened? Kilkenny says the department has struggled to connect with donors in the past.

“I guess there--you know there were some missteps over the last year or two in terms of strategies. I was actually on the other side of the equation then and I thought what they’d done was great work. Apparently they weren’t able to raise the money for one reason or another,” he said.

But one donor was persuaded, Kilkenny himself.

He personally kicked in $2.5 million of the $4 million dollars raised so far.

Former Portland area auto dealer Scott Thomason and his wife Deborah Autzen pledged another million dollars.

But the biggest disconnect is apparently with Phil Knight. The Nike billionaire decided against supporting the project after being pitched last year.

Kilkenny will try to change that.

I spent a fair amount of time with him over the last few months ---trying to understand where he felt we should be going as it relates to an arena or any capital investiments. And I think I have some of a sense of where his interests are and then we’re gonna keep having a dialogue and hopefully, we’ll over time, find something that makes sense for the University and Phil Knight,” said Kilkenny.