Old Dominion President James V. Koch announced in February a $5 million gift from Virginia Beach resident Theodore F. "Ted" Constant that will support the development of the 75-acre University Village east of Hampton Boulevard.

The president will recommend to the Board of Visitors in April that Old Dominion's new convocation center, to be built in the Village between 41st and 47th streets, be named The Ted Constant Convocation Center.

This is the second largest gift in the university's history and takes Old Dominion's capital campaign to $45.5 million, or 95 percent of its goal.

"We are most grateful to Ted Constant for his continuing support of Old Dominion University. His spirit of commitment and generosity will have a lasting effect on our campus," said President Koch. "The University Village is critical to the future of Old Dominion. It is the most important physical development in university history, and the keystone of the Village will be the convocation center.

"This facility will allow us not only to play our basketball games in a first-class arena on the campus, but it will also serve as a venue for graduation ceremonies, lectures and concerts."

Speaking briefly at the news conference, Constant enthusiastically told the crowd assembled for the announcement, "Let's build it!"

In addition to the convocation center, the University Village will ultimately include a shopping center, restaurants, offices, research labs and residences with high-tech connections to the campus.

The $40 million convocation center, which will be flanked by two parking garages, will feature an arena that seats 8,500. There will be 7,600 fixed seats in the lower bowl, 750 club/priority seats and eight luxury box suites. Additional seating on the arena floor can take the capacity to 10,000 for commencements and concerts.

Construction of the arena, to be financed entirely by student fees, corporate partnerships and private funds, is expected to begin in the spring of 2000, following the razing of buildings in the area over the summer and fall. The center should be completed in spring 2002, and Old Dominion hopes to play its first basketball games in the arena in fall of that year.

The former owner of Norfolk Beverage Co., Ted Constant is a longtime supporter of Old Dominion University's Intercollegiate Foundation and Big Blue Club, and he frequently attends both Monarch and Lady Monarch basketball games.

Constant's support of Old Dominion has not been limited to athletics, however. Since 1982, he and his wife, Constance, have established endowments totaling more than $600,000 for fellowships and scholarships in the College of Business and Public Administration. In 1995, they made a gift of $2.6 million to the business college for the renovation of Chandler Hall, which was renamed Constant Hall in their honor.

While the new convocation center will benefit a cross-section of the university community, Old Dominion's athletic department, in particular, is looking forward to having a modern facility on the campus for its basketball programs.

Athletic director Jim Jarrett said the new arena "will allow us to think big and dream big."