LU construction impacts Lynchburg’s 2020 high school graduations

Lynchburg high schools will not host graduation ceremonies in the Vines Center this summer due to construction on the 30-year-old arena’s new roof, targeted for completion before the fall 2020 semester. 

Liberty University announced its plans to build a new roof for the Vines Center, effectively ending plans for area high schools to hold any events there this May/June. Liberty has arranged alternate venues for 10 schools’ graduation ceremonies, with most taking place at Liberty’s Indoor Track Complex.

The new roof addresses leaks in the current roof and ensures the design of Vines is consistent with the new Liberty Arena and the other buildings around it.

“The existing roof has lasted us 30 years, but has had leaking problems recently,” Liberty President Jerry Falwell said per Liberty News. “When we evaluated the cost of trying to make repairs versus the cost of an entirely new roof, we could get the best value long term if we replaced it. It will match the aesthetics of our new campus structures and give us much better acoustics.”

Construction on the roof will begin in the spring, but will not be fully underway until the summer begins. Liberty looks to get the project done quickly to avoid interrupting any group that uses Vines.

“Because the venue is used by multiple different groups, we had to target a short window to get it done and have it up and functional by the 2020-21 academic year,” Vice President of Major Construction Dan Deter said per Liberty News.

The student experience in Vines will not be drastically altered, as the center’s interior will remain untouched.

Craft is the assistant news editor. Follow him on Twitter.