In West Palm Beach, Bob Ferrante noted Florida State football players will "enjoy a remodeled locker room and lounge areas" this season. The new lockers "feature iPads for each player," and the locker room will have "large statues of FSU players that have had their numbers retired." The coaching staff also has "renovated offices, and walls in entry areas." Seminole Boosters VP/Marketing & Communications Jerry Kutz said that the cost is "expected to be between" $5-6M (PALM BEACH POST, 7/31).
LOUISIANA FAST: In Baton Rouge, Luke Johnson noted construction at Louisiana-Lafayette's "new-look" Cajun Field is coming along as planned, and the stadium "should be ready to go" for the Aug. 30 season-opener against Southern. Additional seating brings Cajun Field's "unofficial capacity to the 38,000 range." The expansion also includes "additional restrooms and concession areas in the south zone." LLU AD Scott Farmer said that the stadium's new video board, which has a 30-by-54-foot high HD screen, will be "three-times the size of the old board" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 7/31).
THE MAC DADDY? In Toledo, Donald Emmons wrote the $5.5M renovation of Toledo's Larimer Athletic Complex will be a "dramatic upgrade that will rival any football complex in the Mid-American Conference." The locker room has been "enlarged and improved with wider, state-of-the-art lockers" and next to it is a "lounge area" for the players. The weight room has been "significantly expanded to comfortably fit the 105 players" (TOLEDO BLADE, 7/31).
OWL BE THERE FOR YOU: In Houston, Joseph Duarte cited sources as saying Rice received a $12M lead gift "toward construction of the new end zone facility" at Rice Stadium. The name of the donor was "not immediately available." Rice Senior Exec AD Rick Mello said that the school has 80% of the nearly $30M needed to "begin what will eventually be a multi-phase renovation" of the stadium (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/31).
