Fans of the University of Louisville men and women’s basketball teams frequent the KFC YUM! Center in Louisville, Ky. As the first sports and entertainment venue to be built in Louisville in more than 54 years, the sevenlevel, 22,000-plus seat arena is home to basketball teams, as well as being the site for programs, concerts, family shows, conventions and corporate gatherings. Designed by Populous, Kansas City, Mo., the 722,000-square-foot facility boasts 72 suites, 62 premium boxes, six lounges, four meeting rooms and a 1 1/2-acre landscaped entry plaza. Completed in October 2010, Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis, served as the general contractor.

A number of products from CENTRIA accent the building’s structure. The center includes 62,281 square feet of 22/26-gauge Formawall Graphix Series 2-inch horizontal wall panels with Formawall PE in Silversmith and Gray Velvet with an embossed Sundance Mica coating. The center also features 52,257 square feet of 22/22-gauge Formawall Dimension Series 2-inch horizontal wall panels with Formawall PE in Silversmith with both a smooth and embossed Sundance Mica coating.

In addition to the Dimension and Graphix Series wall panels, dealer Crown Corr Inc. of Gary, Ind., installed 41,276 square feet of 22-gauge Profile Series Exposed Fastener Panels MR3-36 with Louvers in Silversmith with a smooth Sundance Mica coating. CENTRIA also provided 17,948 square feet of its 18-gauge Concept Series CS-260 wall panels in Gray Velvet with a smooth Sundance Mica coating, and 3,062 square feet of its 18-gauge Concept Series CS-210 wall panels in Gray Velvet with a smooth Sundance Mica coating. The walls were further accented by 6,520 square feet of CENTRIA’s 22-gauge Architectural Design Panels ADP100 in Gray Velvet with a smooth Sundance Mica coating. The roof also features 1,330 square feet of CENTRIA’s 22-gauge Structural Standing Seam Roof System (SRS)2 1.33 in Silversmith with a smooth Sundance Mica coating.

While CENTRIA’s metal wall and roof panels were selected for their outstanding performance, sustainability and aesthetics, the entire facility literally caters to sports fans with six restaurants and lounges, including an 8,750-square-foot public sports bar on the Main Concourse, which offers sweeping views of the Ohio River. A large outdoor plaza, complete with its own seating, plants and plenty of pedestrian space, is the ideal location for various outdoor festivals and celebrations. The Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and the University of Louisville Hall of Honor are also located within the facility.