HUTCHINSON, Kan.— The steering committee that is connected to the Sports Arena project is met Thursday.

The committee was assembled by City Manager John Deardoff to discuss and eventually make a recommendation to the city about the future use of the arena. The discussion started when the NJCAA asked the city to consider making improvements to the arena to better serve the National Junior College Athletic Association basketball tournament. That started a whole look at the arena and how it can be better utilized for other activities.

Deardoff says Thursday’s meeting centered on some preliminary findings from architects and the suggestions from focus groups to make improvements to the arena and possible solutions to some of the other problems that plague the aging facility.

Deardoff says the steering committee will meet again in a couple of weeks and then again with the architects in about 30-days.

The city hopes to have some type of preliminary plans for the arena in place this fall.