CHAMPAIGN — A grease board in the bowels of the under-construction State Farm Center reminds workers to continue working safe and reads “30 days till tipoff.”
Actually, they’re inside that figure for the Dec. 2 debut of the renovated arena in Illinois men’s basketball’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge game against Notre Dame, and all indications from those overseeing the project suggest that game will go off without a hitch.
“We have our inspections lined up, and everything’s lining up to achieve those inspections,” said Dennis Kelly, the director of field operations for Turner-Clayco, the company working on the project.