DePaul’s new arena in the South Loop is still expected to have construction begin in the first quarter of 2015, DePaul athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto said.

The next step in the process for the project is for the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (McPier) and DePaul to sort through request for proposals (RFP) to hire a construction company.

“It’s obviously a very label intensive process so it will probably take a couple of more weeks to sort through,” Ponsetto said. “The city’s schedule is contingent on building both the Marriott and the arena … and the Marriott is a little bit behind schedule.

“So that could delay the process of getting the shovel in the ground, but I think right now, we’re looking at the first quarter of 2015,” Ponsetto said. “We’ll know more after we get through the construction RFPs.”

DePaul’s arena is part of a plan to bring back DePaul basketball to the city as well as revitalize the South Loop. An accompanying Marriott hotel will be built next to the 10,000-seat arena, which will be located on Cermak Road west of McCormick Place.

McPier will decide who will be the construction company to handle the project as well as all the subcontractors that will be hired. DePaul will be allowed to consult on the process and will be kept up to date in the process.

“I recognize that this isn’t a DePaul-built facility and that there’s protocols that the city of Chicago and McPier have to go through,” she said. “I think we all recognized that going in. There hasn’t been anything surprising to what those protocols have been. I appreciate the openness of the communication on (McPier’s) end. It really is their project and they’ve been really straight forward on their end.”

On DePaul’s end, one major area they have to sort out are the naming rights to the arena, which could pay for a large chunk of the arena. Ponsetto said they have an idea of which sports marketing firm they plan to hire to help find a corporate sponsor, but are waiting for the RFPs to be sorted out before approaching the marketing firm for a contract.

It is scheduled to open for the 2016-2017 season, but Ponsetto said exactly when during that season is flexible. The Blue Demons could move into the building either at the beginning of the season or the beginning of conference play, for example.

The project is expected to cost $173 million with DePaul contributing $70 million of that while McPier contributes the rest.