ARENA HAS SUPPORT, NOT FUNDS; AD GARRETT AIMS FOR COMPLETION IN 2001.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

When the announcement came in February that USC's board of trustees had decided to support the idea to raise funds for an on-campus arena, the reaction was overwhelming.

Boosters, alumni and basketball fans seemed to think USC was finally going to build an on-campus arena.

But it wasn't quite that simple. Yes, the trustees agreed to let the athletic department begin raising funds for the arena, but that was hardly an indication that ground would ever be broken for a new facility.

In particular, USC president Steven Sample was taken aback by the perception an arena was about to be constructed.

``I think people had the idea the trustees had a big pot of money and they would just write a check,'' Sample said. ``It doesn't work that way.''

So what exactly did the board of trustees' decision provide?

``Now, we have this endorsement,'' Sample said. ``Remember, when you get the endorsement, you then have to raise the money.''

That means raising anywhere from $50 million-$75 million for a 12,000-seat arena that would house the men's and women's basketball and men's and women's volleyball teams.

Time may be the critical factor for USC.

If the NFL awards an expansion franchise to Los Angeles, the Sports Arena could be torn down to provide extra parking for the Coliseum.

That could leave USC without a basketball facility, although it would probably end up moving to the Forum.

``I don't think we'll ever come to the point where we'll have to go to the Forum,'' athletic director Mike Garrett said.

Just in case, the issue is already being evaluated by USC and Sports Arena management.

``It probably will be torn down,'' said Pat Lynch, general manager of the Sports Arena and Coliseum. ``We need more parking. And the Sports Arena loses money. But a lot of people on the Coliseum Commission are sympathetic to USC's needs, even at the expense of parking.''

Lynch said it would be a minimum of two years before the Sports Arena was demolished, and it would probably be delayed if USC was constructing its own arena and needed a place to play its home games.

``The Sports Arena will not come down until 'SC has alternative arrangements,'' said John Argue, a member of the university's board of trustees, who is negotiating with the NFL on USC's concerns over possible changes to Exposition Park.

Already, a member of the board of trustees has been wooed for a $25 million donation that would include naming rights to the arena. Overall, more than $12 million has already been secured for the project.

But there's a long way to go before anyone watches USC play in a new arena.

Whether USC is capable of raising the massive amounts needed is a legitimate concern. The largest single donation ever given to the athletic department is just $2 million.

USC is several million away from funding a proposed $4.7 million track stadium that was announced last year, and is already well over its original budget projections. Similar problems could be massive on a project the size of an arena.

Progress on the arena could come slowly. In August, the trustees' business affairs committee is expected to select a site for the arena. After that, the finance committee must recommend that funds be available for design renderings and pre-construction costs.

``I think this project is very real,'' said Dennis Dougherty, USC's senior vice president of administration. ``It's going forward with a lot of enthusiasm from our trustees.''

But some skeptics believe the university's bureaucracy could weigh it down. According to sources, there is already discussion of adding a university conference center to the facility.

And Sample carefully chooses to call it a ``campus events center'' instead of ``arena,'' so it's not tied to athletics.

That scares some critics within the university, who argue that Sample needs to be more enthusiastic toward raising funds for the project.

They wonder if he has the same zeal to secure donations for an arena as he had for the $100 million gift he got from biomedical entrepreneur Alfred Mann, or the $35 million he received from businessman Gordon Marshall.

``He never really participated in any other athletic department project,'' said an official who asked not be identified. ``History tells us it is unlikely he would be involved.''

Sample said his dedication toward the arena project is unquestionable.

``Have I been actively engaged? The answer is yes,'' Sample said. ``Will I be actively engaged in the next couple of years? The answer is yes.''

But Sample believes the point man on raising funds is Garrett, who confidently says he will spend the next 18 months raising money for the arena, and construction will be completed by 2001.

``It's my job to get after it and get it done. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong,'' Garrett said. ``I'll just keep getting after it.''

Other administrators say the arena will probably require three years of fund-raising, with a more likely opening in 2004 or 2005.

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PHOTO USC's years may be numbered in the aging Sports Arena, which could be turned into a parking lot if the NFL comes to town.

Gus Ruelas/Daily News