NOTRE DAME — Work is about to start on a major project at Notre Dame that should be exciting news for Irish basketball fans.

Doug from Mishawaka asks, "When will the re-modeling of the Joyce Center start?"

The Notre Dame basketball teams will get to enjoy the new and improved Joyce Center.

But a groundbreaking ceremony is coming during football season. It will happen before the September 13th game at the University of Michigan. Work on a new atrium and entry way to the Joyce will start next month, likely before the 13th.

Then after graduation ceremonies in May, work will start on the basketball arena. That five month project will eliminate bleachers, turning the entire arena in to chair back seating. It needs to be finished before the start of the 2009-2010 Notre Dame basketball season.

The renovation to the Joyce Center will actually lower the seating capacity for basketball games to fewer than 10,000 people.

But some ticket holders should get a better view, with seats being moved closer to the floor.