ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – After signing a $10 million deal with University of New Mexico Athletics, Dreamstyle Remodeling plans on changing the name of The Pit, and they want your help.
It’s been called The Pit since it was built, and people are connected to that name. So the Deamstyle Remodeling CEO said he wants the public to help with the new name.
“We established a suggestion box on our website and we are having suggestions pouring in right now,” CEO Larry Chavez said.
Not even 24 hours after posting the link on his website, Chavez said he has received hundreds of emails from people around the state telling him what they want the new name of the arena and University Stadium to be, especially The Pit.
“We have a huge amount of response. It’s very important to this community, so we are going to be very careful about how we go about finalizing the signage and the names on the signage,” Chavez said.
Lobo fans attached to the name, “The Pit,” don’t want to see it go.
“I grew up here in Albuquerque and that’s what I know, The Pit,” UNM student Alfonso Cortes said.
Cortes isn’t alone.
“I like, The Pit. It’s just original, it’s what I grew up with,” Monique Vasquez said.
Dreamstyle CEO Chavez — who is a UNM alumnus — said he and his team are looking at each submission.
“We want to honor the history of that facility, but at the same token we want to take everything forward also,” he said.
Changing the name of The Pit is part of the 10 year, $10 million deal Dreamstyle Remodeling has with UNM. However, Chavez said he wants the community’s support through the whole process — even after they finalize the name.
“We will come up with several options. We will make public at that time,” Chavez said.
He said Dreamstyle will welcome the community’s opinion again at that time.
The submission box will be open for public input until next week. You can access it here.
Once the final decision has been made on a name, the signage is expect to be up in six weeks.
