IOWA CITY - Looking outside his office window at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa basketball coach Todd Lickliter enjoys a view of freshly cut trees and newly installed construction fencing.

"It looks great to me," Lickliter said Wednesday.

Workers quietly began the $43 million arena renovation and expansion project this week, days after the Iowa Board of Regents approved issuing bonds to help finance a project that will add two practice gymnasiums, expand weight-training facilities from their current 1,800-square feet to 11,000-square feet and renovate arena and office space at the 26-year-old facility.

"It's something we all admit is past due and a project of the utmost importance," Lickliter said. "If we want to compete on the court, we need to have all the available resources to make that happen."

Until this week, Iowa was one of two Big Ten schools without a basketball practice facility in place or currently under construction.

With a construction timeline of nearly two years, the renovated facility will open at the start of the 2011-12 school year, just as sophomore guard Anthony Tucker begins his senior season.

"It will be nice when it's done," Tucker said. "I'm sure it will help with recruiting and it will be good for the program."

Despite current economic challenges that have university officials looking for ways to implement a state-mandated 10 percent budget cut, Regents approved moving forward with the arena project in part because no tax dollars are being spent on it.

Director of athletics Gary Barta said three factors led to approval. Fundraising efforts already have secured more than $15 million of $20 million the athletic department will raise for the project, construction bids came in under projected estimates and the cost of issuing $26 million in bonds also came in below budgeted expectations.

"It is a difficult time for the state and the community, which we acknowledge, but one benefit to us is the favorable bids we received as we put $43 million into the economy at a difficult time," Barta said.

Iowa teams will continue to compete and practice at the arena throughout the project. Initial construction work will focus on expansion areas to the north and west of the existing arena.

Payne expected to start

IOWA CITY - A slightly sprained ankle kept Cully Payne off the practice court for one day early this week, and the freshman is expected to start at point guard when the Iowa basketball team hosts Marian University in an exhibition at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

"He's full go," said Iowa coach Todd Lickliter, who called Payne a "team-first guy who continues to improve. He's someone who enjoys running the team and runs it the way we want it run."

Guard Anthony Tucker, slowed recently by back problems, will share responsibilities at the point with Payne.