Mar 8, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; A general view of Desert Financial Arena prior to a game between Texas Tech at Arizona State. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

Arizona State AD Gives Updates on Athletic Projects

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The world of Arizona State athletics has brightened substantially since Graham Rossini was hired to replace Ray Anderson as AD in May of last year.

Since Rossini has worked to improve fan experience, boost NIL capabilities, and made a home run hire in women's basketball coach Molly Miller.

Now, Rossini is tasked with fundraising and planning major construction projects for the athletic programs - he discussed those on Saturday after the Arizona State football scrimmage at Camp Tontozona.

"It's a top priority for us. Desert Financial Arena and the football facility are 1A and 1B in no particular order. We're really getting some early momentum with people - we haven't finished the design yet, we've already had six-plus million in on the project. We're trying to make sure that it can accomplish the football goals, be a great resource for gamedays... we wanna make sure that we design it and get it right..."

The basketball arena renovations have been reported for some time - as Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro has stated that the budget for the overhaul of the 50-year old arena would be lucrative.

Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Desert Financial Arena's issues have been well-documented over the years - there were even men's basketball games that had to be canceled in recent years due to these factors.

As for the football facility - coach Kenny Dillingham has already alluded to the fact that the program is looking to raise in the neighborhood of $15 million to begin the project - with hopes that construction can begin in a few months once the red tape is cleared. The goal is for the indoor practice structure to be ready to open for the 2027 fall camp - it will also serve as a source for indoor tailgating to combat the Arizona heat and the restrictions that are in place on the Tempe campus.

It's ultimately a breath of fresh air for Sun Devil fans to see figureheads of the athletic programs act in proactive manners following years of what became a roller-coaster ride under Anderson.

Read more on Purdue teammates Nyland Green and Kyndrich Breedlove teaming up in Tempe here, as well as a player profile on backup QB Jeff Sims here.

This article first appeared on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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