Spin, you hit on a good point here. U of A seems to repeatedly make bad decisions that go back to the board of trustees accepting w/o question what the administration recommends. It has gone on for decades such as, but not limited to:
The design of the JAR. The architect had never designed an arena and it showed.
The design of the business building. Only one elevator, low hall ceilings, one back stair that no one can find, a front facade that looks like bricked up windows, a style (New Mexico abode) totally foreign to the university and the city, wasted space with an atrium that offered little usable space in the entrance.
The purchase of the Polsky building that cost was doubled due to asbestos removal and then still went way over budget in renovation. It was a sweetheart deal for the city, but it took students away from the core of the university. A similar sized building could have been built across Exchange for 1/3 the cost.
Add Quaker Square and you see that the B of T's have no governance ability. They give the president whatever he wants because they have no stake in the university and don't care.
BTW, to GP1 if he has read this far (thanks), athletics does not represent 1% to UA. Last year it was 8% of the total budget.