In K.C., Kellis Robinett writes Kansas State’s spring football game at Sporting Park "will be a unique event for more than one reason," as fans of legal age "will be able to purchase beer." That is a "noticeable difference from K-State football games at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, where beer and alcohol sales are limited to suites and club-levels." However, stadium-wide beer sales on campus "aren’t coming to Manhattan anytime soon." Though KSU began selling beer at baseball games two years ago, AD John Currie said that there is "no desire to carry that over to football or men’s basketball games" (K.C. STAR, 2/20).
TIGER RAG: In St. Louis, Dave Matter noted Missouri last week "kicked off design meetings" with the architect for its softball and football stadium upgrades. Developers this fall will "begin construction" on the $16M softball venue, which has a seating capacity of 1,800. Construction on it will begin as soon as MU "wraps up its home football schedule on Nov. 21." Meanwhile, MU Exec Associate AD Tim Hickman said the proposed new football facility just south of Memorial Stadium is in its "very, very, very early" planning stages. MU also will "explore premium seating possibilities for the south side of the stadium to go along with the proposed team facility" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 2/18).
HEDGE FUND MANAGERS: Georgia AD Greg McGarity said the school's long-discussed indoor football practice facility is moving "as quickly as possible” and that the price tag will be "in the ballpark" of $30M. That number is twice what Florida is "spending to build its own indoor facility," and also is "twice what McGarity had previously estimated." UGA's facility will be "paid for in part with fund-raising from private donors" (AJC.com, 2/19).
YOU SAY POTATO....: The Univ. of Idaho on Thursday announced plans to "begin the leadership phase ... of fundraising for a $30 million arena." That phase is "expected to last nine months" and will be spent "gathering funds from donors and major sponsors." Idaho AD Rob Spear said that it will "hopefully amount to $15 million" (MOSCOW-PULLMAN DAILY NEWS, 2/20). School officials said that the proposed Idaho Arena "would serve as a venue for court sports, provide additional office space for athletics staff, and enhance the university's overall curb appeal" (KTVB.com, 2/19).
TECH SUMMIT: In N.Y., Brendan Prunty noted N.J. Institute of Technology on Thursday announced that it would "break ground on a long-awaited" $100M multipurpose athletic facility this summer. The "key component is an arena seating 3,500 fans for the institute’s highest-profile sport, men’s college basketball." NJIT, which saw a boost in notoriety after beating Michigan earlier this season, "may finally have the missing piece to become a member of a conference" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/20).
