The West Virginia University Coliseum reopened late Monday, May 2, and Commencement activities at the Coliseum May 13-15 will continue as planned.

WVU Environmental Health & Safety officials made the announcements Monday, after additional samples sent to a third party lab for testing met regulatory clearance levels for occupancy.

Samples taken Friday from the seating area and event level also met regulatory clearance levels for occupancy.

Access to most areas of the building, including administration offices, is available through the Red gate only. Normal activities will resume inside the Coliseum and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will be open for business as usual on Tuesday, May 3.

“Final cleaning and sampling of a remaining section of the concourse area is currently under way,” WVU Director of Environmental Health & Safety John Principe said. “Out of an abundance of caution, that section remains sealed off,” Principe added.

Samples of material that was exposed during demolition activities on Friday afternoon at the Coliseum tested positive for containing asbestos. Environmental contractors temporarily sealed off those areas and the Coliseum was closed immediately after the discovery.

“The asbestos containing material discovered Friday had been encapsulated in an inaccessible area above ceilings in entrances to the restrooms ringing the concourse, and did not pose a health hazard to any individuals within the building,” Principe said. He added that it was only exposed by the renovation work.

The 46-year-old building is currently undergoing a $15 million renovation to improve the fan experience.

Exposed areas of the Coliseum, including the main arena, underwent major asbestos abatement from 1999-2000, closing the facility for about year.

-WVU-

ak/05/02/16

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