St. Paul, Minn. -- Since the historic $75M gift announcement from Lee and Penny Anderson on January 17, 2023 the University of St. Thomas has continued its work on design and funding for the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena. In support of a $131 million fundraising goal to fund design and construction of the arena, Tommie Athletics announced today an additional $12 million has been committed through anonymous donations. This brings the total raised in support of the arena to $87 million in less than two months.
 
"We're extremely enthusiastic about the interest and excitement we have seen both locally in the Twin Cities and nationally for the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena. It has become even more apparent how important the arena will be as a community and economic asset to the city of St. Paul, the Twin Cities, the state of Minnesota, and the region," said St. Thomas president Rob Vischer.
 
"We could not be more thankful for the support of these incredible individuals. Their passion for this project has allowed us to continue to move forward, and the impact these gifts will have on St. Thomas will be felt for decades to come," said St. Thomas vice president, director of athletics Phil Esten. "These gifts help St. Thomas continue its upward trajectory in athletics and as an institution."
 
Throughout the last two months of fundraising, Ryan Companies and Crawford Architects have advanced their programming and conceptual design work with key campus stakeholders, while the University has engaged in key city and neighborhood conversations.

Scheduled to open in the fall of 2025 subject to completion of fundraising, the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena will not only serve as the new home for women's and men's hockey and basketball, it will also provide a home for St. Thomas commencement ceremonies, academic convocations, speakers, career fairs and other university and broader community events. The Lee & Penny Anderson Arena will provide opportunities for St. Thomas to partner with local schools, youth sports organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and other organizations, serving as a critical facility for St. Thomas, the St. Paul community, and Midwest region. 

To learn more about supporting Lee & Penny Anderson Arena please click HERE or reach out the Tommie Athletic Fund at tommieathleticfund@stthomas.edu.