Oregon Public Broadcasting

Eugene city planners are recommending approval of the construction of a new $200 million basketball arena next to the University of Oregon campus.

The plans includes many changes that locals asked for in an appeal they filed with the city earlier.

The Fairmount Neighborhood Association says some concerns remain.

The arena project is considered by some measures to be the most expensive college arena in the country.

Now, Fairmount Neighborhood Association arena committee chairman Jeff Nelson says many worries about parking in the area have been answered.

One major change is the establishment of a special city parking district that would regulate traffic and raise revenue.

Jeff Nelson: “We have come an amazing ways. We first got a letter from the University in January of this year, and we’ve come light years from that. And I think that was a result of having to meet the requirements under the local refinement plan.”

Nelson says individual neighbors will still express their concerns at a public hearing scheduled for next week.

The university says an initial examination of the planners’ recommendation didn’t turn up any major problems.