MINNEAPOLIS, June 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Texas Longhorns’ men’s and women’s basketball teams have long been national powerhouses in college basketball, combining for 34 conference regular season titles and 14 conference tournament championships. With both programs dating back to the early 1900s, the school sought a home court that not only incorporated its century-long traditions but heralded a new generation of style and sustainability.
Nestled into a hillside on the University of Texas campus, the $375 million Moody Center is the most expensive college arena ever built and offers Austinites a state-of-the-art space to enjoy games and live events. Named in honor of the Moody Foundation, which has supported museums, libraries, universities and hospitals throughout Texas for more than 75 years, the multi-purpose facility features more than 6,000 linear feet of custom railing engineered by Trex Commercial, a leading national provider of architectural railing systems for the commercial building arena.
“We are delighted to help usher in a new era of Longhorns basketball and entertainment for the city of Austin,” said Laura Rygielski Preston, president of Trex Commercial. “Our team custom engineered railing systems and other amenities to help create a fully immersive fan experience that emphasizes safety, style and accessibility, while integrating with the facility’s distinct architecture and aesthetic from the moment you walk into the building.”
Designed primarily for concerts, the multi-purpose arena features the nation’s largest event floor along with top-tier amenities and hospitality for artists, athletes and fans, including 44 porch suites – inspired by actor Matthew McConaughey’s design influence – and nearly 2,000 club seats, three premium clubs, 57 loge boxes and one super VIP club: the Moët & Chandon Impérial Lounge. McConaughey also acts as the venue’s “Minister of Culture,” ensuring that the Longhorns and Austin are properly represented and by creating a fan experience that is authentic to the city and unlike any other in the country.
With a focus on enhancing fan safety and engagement without disrupting visibility, the Trex Commercial team fabricated a series of architectural railing systems for the state-of-the-art venue. A combination of Track Rail™, anodized aluminum aisle rail, cable rail, picket rail and drink rail are featured throughout the arena, while custom-engineered aluminum divider rails are used to create an intimate atmosphere for each of the venue’s VIP porch suites. These sleek railing solutions not only complement the modern aesthetic of the space but also contributed to the facility’s LEED Gold certification.
“Trex Commercial has long been a valued railing supplier for athletic venues, helping stadium owners and facility managers to achieve their visions, maximize fan engagement and optimize profitability,” added Rygielski Preston. “Due to its sheer scale, this project has been particularly exciting with challenges that have allowed our team to showcase our capabilities, expertise and ability to deliver creative solutions.”
Moody Center broke ground in December 2019 and opened in April 2022. The 530,000-square-foot venue, which can be configured to accommodate anywhere from 10,000-15,000 seats, draws from Austin’s culture and community as core design concepts. The arena’s VIP Club, for example, exudes a speakeasy vibe complete with a semi-hidden entrance, while another club on the event floor takes inspiration from the weathered oak bars found throughout Texas. Additionally, the venue’s private boxes feature front porches that are connected to adjacent boxes to allow neighbors to mingle with one another – a design element that harkens back to the hospitable, laid-back spirit on which Austin has built its reputation as one of America’s friendliest cities.
To learn more about the Moody Center project, go to moodycenteratx.com. For more information about Trex Commercial, visit trexcommercial.com.
About Trex Commercial
Trex Commercial is a national leader in architectural railings for commercial applications. Since 1990, the company has been committed to elevating the abilities of all people to safely access and enjoy amazing life experiences, while building an industry-leading reputation for quality and customer service. Based in Minneapolis, Trex Commercial, Inc. is a subsidiary of Trex Company, Inc. To learn more, visit www.trexcommercial.com.
About Trex Company, Inc.
Trex Company, Inc. [NYSE: TREX] is the world’s largest manufacturer of high-performance wood-alternative decking and railing, with nearly 30 years of product experience. The #1 brand in outdoor living is proud to have been named to Forbes’ 2021 List of America’s Best Mid-Size Companies and to Fortune magazine’s 2020 list of the world’s 100 Fastest-Growing Companies. Stocked in more than 6,700 retail locations worldwide, Trex outdoor living products offer a wide range of style options with fewer ongoing maintenance requirements than wood, as well as a truly environmentally responsible choice. For more information, visit trex.com. You can also follow Trex on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/trex-company/), Twitter (@Trex_Company), Instagram (@trexcompany), Pinterest (trexcompany) or Houzz (trexcompany-inc), “like” Trex on Facebook (@TrexCompany) or view product and demonstration videos on the brand’s YouTube channel (TheTrexCo).
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