In Omaha, Rich Kaipust noted Nebraska is in the process of "adding video boards and improving or replacing the existing ones at Memorial Stadium," putting about $6.2M more into the game-day experience for fans. North-facing screens will be "added to the towers in the northeast and northwest corners of the original structure." The northeast and northwest towers already "featured screens that faced across the field." In addition to images now being seen on both exposed sides of each tower, there will be the "capability for one 'wraparound' image that can stretch across from one screen to the other." Nebraska also is "improving the resolution of that North Stadium board, and all other video and ribbon boards" (OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, 6/7).
GETTING CLOSE: In Chicago, Shannon Ryan notes there are "no hoops or basketballs" yet inside DePaul's still-under-construction Wintrust Arena in downtown Chicago, but "finishing touches will be added this summer during the final phases" of the $173M project. When men's basketball coach Dave Leitao brings recruits to the team's future home, he "sees the players light up." A giant scoreboard hangs "above the middle of the unfinished court, and blue seats have been installed in portions of the building." Locker rooms have been "described as NBA-caliber." DePaul AD Jean Lenti Ponsetto said that a "majority of lower-bowl season-ticket seating has been filled and the response to early ticket sales has been positive" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/8).
PITCH PERFECT: In Durham, Ray Gronberg notes the North Carolina state legislature gave its "preliminary approval" to a bill that allows the Univ. of North Carolina to borrow up to $30M to "go through with the planned revamp of the Fetzer Field soccer complex and its surrounding athletic facilities." UNC is "doing away with the track that now surrounds the field." The school also "intends to erect another indoor/outdoor practice facility for its football team." All told, the combined project will cost an estimated $55M. Officials expect the Rams Club, the athletic booster club at UNC, to "foot the bill, but want permission to borrow seed money for the project up front while the boosters continue to raise money" (Durham HERALD-SUN, 6/8).
ON THE HUNT: In Norfolk, Harry Minium noted Old Dominion began "advertising this week for a firm to 'plan, design and administer the construction activities' for a renovated Foreman Field football stadium." According to an RFP, the school "requires that applicants have helped design five or more Football Bowl Subdivision stadiums or stadium expansions in the last decade." That likely will "limit the field to nationally prominent firms." The RFP calls for the designer to "submit proposals based on the year-old study done by Populous" (Norfolk VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 6/7).
