MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Ellerbe Becket, a leader in sports architecture and engineering with offices around the world, today was selected by the New Memphis Public Building Authority to design the new downtown arena.

Ellerbe Becket has designed many of the nation’s marquee new sports facilities, including Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the NBA Pacers. Ellerbe Becket’s resume includes NBA facilities such as the Rose Garden in Portland, Gund Arena in Cleveland, MCI Center in Washington, D.C., and America West Arena in Phoenix. The firm also designed Major League Baseball facilities Turner Field in Atlanta and Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix.

“We have selected one of the premier architectural firms in the world to lead design of our new arena,” said Arnold E. Perl, chairman of the New Memphis Public Building Authority. “Impressive to us is the firm’s resume of major sports facilities and its outstanding record of delivering buildings on time and within budget.”

The new Memphis Arena will be a multi-use sports and entertainment facility and home to the NBA Memphis Grizzlies.

Ellerbe Becket is the fourth largest architecture and engineering firm in the United States as rated by Building Design & Construction. An innovator since its founding in 1909, Ellerbe Becket is a leader in architecture, engineering and the construction industry with office locations worldwide.