The newly renovated Carver-Hawkeye Arena will be dedicated this afternoon in a free event open to the public, according to a release.

The program will begin at 4 p.m. and consist of tours and speakers including Iowa President Sally Mason, Athletics Director Gary Barta, women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder, and Iowa alumnus Dale Howard.

Howard and his wife, Marilyn, gave Iowa a $3.5 million gift to help complete the Carver-Hawkeye project in 2008; as a result, the addition to the arena will be named the Dale and Marilyn Howard Family Pavilion.

The pavilion is a four-story, 75,000-square-foot addition that includes an 8,000-square-foot strength and conditioning center, practice courts for Iowa’s basketball and volleyball teams, locker rooms, and office space for athletic staff.

The Howard family’s gift was a portion of the $21 million given to the university by private donors to complete the $43 million project.

The dedication program will be held in the Feller Club Room, with tours and a reception to follow. Parking is available in Lot 75, and visitors should enter through the main entrance of the Dale and Marilyn Howard Family Pavilion on the west side of the building.

— by Seth Roberts