The proposed DeKalb Civic Center is still a possibility despite a summer rejection from Gov. James Thompson and the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA).

Sen. Patrick Welch, D-Peru, who put the $12 million proposal on the table, said “a new application has been submitted. The DCCA will act on the new application after the election. It will probably be funded after November 6.”

NIU will be the managing agent of the facility, which officials hope will offer events from sporting events to musical events to trade shows.

The proposed center has ardent support from officals such as DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow, NIU President John La Tourette and Eddie Willams, NIU vice president for finance and planning, who are planning to hold Huskie basketball games there.

For concerts and other attractions, the center will be able to hold up to 10,000 people. And, for basketball games, there will be seating for 9,000 people (an increase of nearly 3,000 seats), which should mean better teams.

“It will immediately help our recruiting because we are recruiting students who are also considering other programs that play and practice in large contemporary facilities,” said Athletic Director Gerald O’Dell. “It will be very difficult to meet people’s immediate expectations without a quality facility.”

However, the civic center will not be for the sole use of NIU. The City of DeKalb plans to use it for agricultural, industrial and business exhibitions and seminiars.

The proposed center would be located west of Stevenson Towers. The parking lot would be expanded to hold 1,000 vehicles, and on the civic center land itself, there would be 1,500 parking spaces. For large events, the grassy parking lots by the football stadium will be used. The main enterance will face east.

Also being planned is a new north/south highway that would run from Fairview Drive through Taylor Street, West Lincoln Highway, Twombly Road and Annie Glidden Road to link up with Bethany Road. It would be built in sections over the years, but when completed, it will provide better access to the civic center.