Construction on Auburn’s new basketball arena won’t start for at least a few more weeks.

The project won’t be finished until 2010.

But the arena is nonetheless taking shape. A week after dog-track magnate Milton McGregor and his wife Pat donated $1 million toward its construction, AU announced the next big step: Hiring a construction firm.

Harbert International, of Birmingham, has won the bid for the new arena, the most expensive single building in AU history. Harbert bid a total of $60.4 million for the job, $9.1 million less than Auburn’s Board of Trustees had budgeted for construction.

The total project is expected to cost $92.5 million, with the bulk of the cost covered by a bond issue.

“This is a very exciting time for our student-athletes, coaches, alumni and fans, as another piece to the puzzle has been completed as we move forward with our arena project,” Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said in a statement released by the school.

“A project like this doesn’t come about without a united effort and common goal of countless people. We’re going to have the ability to build a first-class facility that will be within budget.”

Most of the other firms involved in the project are already in place. AU hired 360 Architecture of Kansas City, Mo., to design the arena in conjunction with Birmingham-based Davis Architects. The construction firm of Robins & Morton will manage the project.

Groundbreaking for the arena is expected to take place this summer.

AU men’s basketball coach Jeff Lebo and women’s coach Nell Fortner are looking forward to the project’s completion. Both teams currently play in 40-year-old Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

“This is very exciting news to know that we are one big step further along in the process for the new arena,” Lebo said in a statement released by the school. “This is the final hurdle in the start of the construction.

“The new arena is something that all Auburn people can be proud of. This is going to be a first-class facility and the Auburn Administration has made a huge commitment to the future.”

Fortner agreed.

“It is exciting to know that the bid process has been completed and now we can begin to see shovels in the ground,” Fortner said. “We are ready and excited to get this arena project moving and are very thankful for the hard work the administration has put forth.”

The arena will seat approximately 9,600 fans for men’s and women’s basketball home games. The building will also include a practice facility, coaches’ offices, locker rooms, the AU ticket office, an athletics museum and other features.

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