The Univ. of Georgia’s athletic BOD yesterday "gave the go-ahead" for a $63M renovation project for the Sanford Stadium west end zone that will "encompass 121,000 square feet," according to Marc Weiszer of the ATHENS BANNER-HERALD. It will give the football team a "new home locker room nearly double its current size, recruiting space to host prospects and add concession stands and increase public restrooms." The project will be "one of the most significant changes to the 87-year old stadium." It will begin in April and "take 17 months to complete." Construction will be going on during the '17 season with a crane up during the fall, but "won’t affect site lines." The athletic board approved a $10M request that will "come from athletic reserves." The other $53M will come through "fundraising over two or three years." The video board will "move back and become larger -- increasing from 75 by 46 to 100 by 52." UGA President Jere Morehead said that the school, which had $67M in reserves at the end of its FY '16, is one of the "most financially sound athletic programs in the nation and cautioned that he will be hesitant to support more facility projects anytime soon" (ATHENS BANNER-HERALD, 2/15).
OPEN FOR BUSINESS: In Athens, Nicole Saavedra notes UGA yesterday "cut the ribbon" on its new indoor athletic facility. UGA football coach Kirby Smart said that the $30.2M facility will give him and the team the "chance to escape the heat during fall camp and the cold when they prepare" for bowl games. The facility dedication happened "less than an hour" after UGA's athletic BOD approved the Sanford upgrades (ATHENS BANNER-HERALD, 2/15).
