Jeff Bourne kept reminding himself he was only steps away from University Boulevard, still on campus at James Madison and that this building was no longer a vision.

“The amenities, the feel,” Bourne, the longtime Dukes athletic director, said, “and just coming into something like this in Harrisonburg – I remember several months ago when I came and saw it lighted for the first time – I had to pinch myself and make sure I was standing in my own shoes. I am really amazed with how well it came out.”

In 2015, JMU announced plans for a new basketball facility, broke ground on it two years ago, and today the school is slated to open doors for competition at the pristine Atlantic Union Bank Center for the first time. The men’s team hosts Division II Limestone College at noon and the women welcome Mount St. Mary’s for a 4 p.m. tipoff.

The venue, a $139.5 million project, transports visitors into a smaller version of what a state-of-the-art NBA arena or top tier Power Five-program home would look like. Upon entering the Atlantic Union Bank Center, the court can be seen from throughout the concourse and the hardwood glows as the stage between two levels of 8,500 JMU-shaded purple seats.

“Jaw-dropping, right?” fifth-year women’s coach Sean O’Regan said. “That’s honestly the way I describe this right here. It literally, when you walk in, it kind of takes your breath away. I don’t know five arenas that I’ve been to that are better than this, I don’t know of three. I’m just glad they spent the money really well in here and I think this is as good as it gets.”

First-year JMU men’s coach Mark Byington said he’s as pleased with the functionality of the Atlantic Union Bank Center as he is with its aesthetics.

Not visible to fans from the 360-degree open concourse are men’s and women’s coaches offices overlooking a practice gym with seven baskets. Nearby the practice gym are meeting rooms, locker rooms, a sports nutrition station for players and coaches along with a strength and conditioning room with weights, cardio equipment and more.

“I still find myself walking in a different part of the building and I open a door because I’m curious about what’s over there,” Byington said. “I don’t know where everything is yet, but on the first day of practice I found myself looking around and getting a feel for it. And now we’re in a mode where we’re focused on getting better. The practice facility is big for our guys and the strength and conditioning aspect is perfect, so it really is a top-notch facility with no weaknesses.”

Bourne, Byington and O’Regan all had their own comparisons. O’Regan likened it to the University of Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena, which seats 14,593 and opened in 2006. Byington said it reminded him of Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion, an 8,600-seat building that debuted in 2012.

And Bourne said very early on during the design stages of the Atlantic Union Bank Center, he and JMU athletic administrators took a trip to Old Dominion University to see Chartway Arena at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. A mid-major school in the Commonwealth like JMU, ODU’s hoops venue seats 8,600 and opened in 2002.

“I very much liked the intimate feel for the game of basketball,” Bourne said, “and that [ODU] facility just had a feel to it. Then we looked at a myriad of other [arenas] and of course our consultants did a wonderful job panning the country and saying, ‘If this is what you like and about the size, this is how you can design it.’”

Moseley Architects, a company headquartered in Richmond and that keeps an office in Harrisonburg, was the project architects. And Populous, a Kansas City-based sports venue specialist, were partner architects on the Atlantic Union Bank Center.

Previous Moseley Architects projects include Bridgeforth Stadium, JMU’s D-Hall and recent renovations to ODU’s Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium as well as Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium. Some of Populous’ recent ventures into college basketball include University of Missouri Arena, Central Florida’s CFE Federal Credit Union Arena as well as McCamish Pavilion.

“It has some things that are similar to Georgia Tech,” Byington said. “After that, I just think [the Atlantic Union Bank Center] has it’s own uniqueness. I think it’s a big arena, but it feels intimate and that’s the thing that I like best about it.

“Fans are going to be on top of the floor. I think there’s going to be great seats in the house and I want this to be something for the entertainment, a social gathering, the basketball and everything else. I want this place to be packed up. I want the fan experience to be great and I think they’re going to get a great fan experience at some point, when we can all do that.”

Gov. Ralph Northam’s order has capacity capped at 250 spectators today due to coronavirus concerns. The games this afternoon will be the first JMU home events since before the school and the Colonial Athletic Association put athletics on hiatus in March because of the pandemic.

The Dukes closed their former basketball home since 1982, the Convocation Center, in February.

“Old Dominion’s when it first came out was really nice, but the [Atlantic Union Bank Center] is much better now,” O’Regan said as he started comparing and contrasting. “I think it’s better than Florida State and Rutgers. Maybe throw it in there with Tennessee. Tennessee’s was nice, and Dayton had a nice arena, too. I’d put it in that category, so you’re talking about totally upping your level of competition around the country with arenas.”