Penguins Choose Arena Design Firm

What? Penguins news!

Its been awhile, but PSaMP felt it was time to finally move past the disheartening playoff loss to the Senators, and give an update on your Pittsburgh Penguins. Plus, I wanted an excuse to post this badass Pens' logo from the '68 season. Its simplicity makes it a PSaMP favorite. Much better than that triangular deal that they tried to pass off as a logo in the '90s. I couldn't stand that thing.

The Pens have decided on a design firm for the new multi-purpose arena that was at the center of our collective attention just 2 months ago. HOK Sport has been given the green light, and has the awesome task of building another beautiful Pittsburgh sports arena.

HOK designed PNC Park and Heinz Field, which both opened in 2001. If the new Penguins arena is half as nice as the other 2 HOK-designed Pittsburgh sports complexes, then Penguins fans have nothing to worry about. The arena has a tentative price tag of $290 million. It should be open for the start of the '09-'10 season.

The best part of the deal is that HOK is based in Kansas City, the area that desperately wanted the Pens prior to the new 30-year agreement with the city of Pittsburgh. HOK not only is centered in KC, but also designed the Sprint Center, the arena that was offering the Pens a rent-free deal. Yet another kick in the teeth to all those hopeful fans at My KC Penguins. Great job getting all worked up for nothing, ya weirdos.

I can't wait to see what the good people at HOK have in store for all us Pens fans. After seeing their works for the Buccos and Stillers, PSaMP is eager to witness an arena that is good enough for Darren McCord in Sudden Death 2.