UNLV on Friday announced that the school has installed “a new $400,000 LED video board in the north endzone” of Sam Boyd Stadium. In Las Vegas, Ray Brewer noted the new video board is “double the width of the previous screen, which had been used since the stadium was renovated” in ‘99 and “considered outdated.” The board made its debut during this past weekend's Monster Energy Supercross event. UNLV is “still working on getting an on-campus facility for its football program” (LAS VEGAS SUN, 5/3).
FRIEND OF THE DEVIL: In Phoenix, Dianna Nanez noted Arizona State AD Ray Anderson “emphasizes that ASU officials expect Sun Devil Stadium to become a magnet for grand-scale community activities that will extend far beyond sports.” Engaging the East Valley “long has been a tough sell because so many sports fans are transplants with loyalties to out-of-state teams or other Arizona universities.” But given Sun Devil Stadium's standing as “a site for historical events, its central location in the Valley and football program rebounding under coach Todd Graham, the timing may be right for Anderson to draw sports and entertainment fans from such neighboring communities as Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and Ahwatukee” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/4).
APPLES & ORANGES: In Orlando, Mark Schlueb noted “progress is moving rapidly” on the Citrus Bowl’s $207M renovation, as crews are “following an incredibly tight construction schedule, with all the work crammed into less than a year.” The work needs to be finished by Nov. 22 as the remodeled stadium is “supposed to host its first event,” the Florida Classic featuring Florida A&M-Bethune-Cookman. SC Advisors Senior Project Director Brent Daubach, who is Orlando’s liaison to the construction team, said, "We demolished 80 to 85 percent of the stadium within about a 30-day time frame.” The “original seating bowl is now gone” and workers are “installing new lower-level seating” (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 5/4).
MY NAME IS: In Indiana, Doug Zaleski noted Ball State’s BOT on Friday “named a new football complex after a Fort Wayne, Ind., couple in recognition of their gifts to the university for more than two decades.” Construction on the Ronald E. & Joan M. Venderly Football Team Complex “will begin with ground breaking June 19,” while completion “is targeted before” the ‘15 season begins. The complex is part of the university’s $20M Cardinal Commitment campaign, which will “fund strategic improvements for softball, baseball, men’s and women’s golf, football, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s volleyball.” The Venderlys have pledged $2M “toward the estimated cost” of $4M for construction of the building (Muncie STAR PRESS, 5/3).
