A group of Univ. of North Carolina football supporters that “agreed to help fund Kenan Stadium's ‘Blue Zone’ expansion project wants more information about why coach Butch Davis was fired,” according to Robbi Pickeral of the Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER. Don Brown, one of “five lawyers representing the group, had his Charlotte firm fax a public records request to North Carolina on Monday asking for all correspondence” between UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp and various university officials. Brown said that the group “might explore legal action depending on the information it receives.” He added that the group “wants to remain anonymous at this point,” but it “includes donors of differing financial contributions.” Pickeral noted “half of the nearly completed $70 million ‘Blue Zone’ project -- which adds the Student Athlete Center for Excellence, and roughly 3,000 seats to the stadium's east end zone -- is being funded by private donations.” The other half “is being raised by the sale of club seats and luxury suites.” UNC booster organization Rams Club Exec Dir John Montgomery said that the foundation to date “has raised about $22 million for the project.” He said that the foundation “has received calls asking for refunds, and to stop pledging since Davis was fired.” Since July 28, the day after Davis was fired, Montgomery said that “10 Rams Club accounts have been inactivated,” although “15 new members have joined.” Montgomery: "We've been working with donors one-on-one, and asking them to reconsider.” The Rams Club “has not granted any refunds” (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 8/9). Meanwhile, Thorp “released the names of the 12-person search committee Monday” that will recommend candidates to replace Dick Baddour as AD. The committee will be chaired by Rams Club member Lowry Caudill, who serves as a UNC Trustee and an adjunct professor in the chemistry department (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 8/9).
