The Wisconsin State Building Commission gave final approval to a new UW-Madison hockey and swimming facility Wednesday.
The La Bahn Arena will be connected to the Kohl Center and feature a skyway connecting it to the Southeast Recreational Facility.
The 2,400-seat arena will serve as a practice facility for the men's and women's hockey team. It will also host the women's hockey team's home games and feature locker rooms for the men's and women's swimming teams.
Athletic Director Barry Alvarez said in a statement he was ""thrilled"" to see the project received final approval.
The arena will be named after UW-Madison alumnus Charles La Bahn and his wife Mary Ann La Bahn, the lead donors for the facility.
Charles La Bahn was a two-time letterwinner for the UW swim team. He also served as the director of the UW Foundation from 1974 to 1996.
""It's exciting, it's going to become a reality,"" women's hockey head coach Mark Johnson said. ""For several programs in the department it's going to have a huge impact.""
The total cost of the project is $27.9 million. Two-thirds of the cost will be paid by gifts to UW Athletics and the remainder will be paid by bonds, according to the university.
Construction of the facility is scheduled to begin this spring and has an expected opening in the fall of 2012.
