The color drawings depict a sleek, modernized arena, complete with terra cotta accents along the facade, a grand lobby and row after row of new seats.
But as UCLA officials unveiled their vision for an updated Pauley Pavilion on Monday afternoon, filling in blanks about a proposed $185-million project, an equally important question lurked in the not-so-distant future.
The university will look to trade choice seats for big donations, which could prompt some season-ticket holders to worry whether they will be pushed farther from the action.
"I think people are going to be concerned about the seating plan," Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said. "That's probably the biggest issue."
Big enough that officials decided to postpone giving any details at their announcement ceremony, opting to use the next few weeks to review the situation.
Guerrero said his department is trying to hone a point system that balances new donors with loyal fans who have stuck with the Bruins for decades.
Matt Pauley -- the building bears the name of his grandfather, Edwin W. Pauley -- said he has seen details of the plan and called it equitable.
"They've done a really good job," said Pauley, who serves on a volunteer board helping with the "Campaign of Champions" fundraising effort.
Seating is only one part of a redesign that seeks to transform the hallowed but aging venue by the fall of 2012.
Proposed changes would begin outside the building, where the traditional roof trusses would be accented with terra cotta and glass. A new main entrance to the north would open to a lobby adorned by towering pictures of Bruins greats.
Wide concourses would provide space for expanded concession stands, restrooms with three times the current number of toilets and a merchandise store.
Inside the arena's bowl, somewhat treacherous aisles would be regraded with evenly spaced steps and handrails, and every seat would be replaced.
The design firm, NBBJ, has also centered the court and filled the empty spaces behind each basket with retractable seating, increasing capacity to almost 14,000.
Coach Ben Howland addressed a crowd that gathered for Monday's announcement, talking about "the experience the fans are going to have, being closer to the game, on top of the two teams that are playing."
A high-definition video scoreboard would hang overhead and an LED ribbon board would circle the arena.
