In Miami, Susan Miller Degnan reports the Univ. of Miami's new 83,000-square-foot football practice facility is "expected to be completed by fall camp in August." UM Senior Associate AD Jesse Marks said that $33.6M of the initial $34M had been "raised as of Thursday morning, and that fundraising will continue." The air-conditioned facility will "have two fields, one 80 yards long and the other 40 yards, the smaller field underneath the mezzanine where [coach Mark] Richt's office will be." Marks said that the nearly 30,000-square-foot football operation complex is "self enclosed and will have 'all new football offices, team meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, all new recruiting areas’ and will be attached to the Hecht Athletic Center" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/13).
CHALK IT UP: In Kansas, Rochelle Valverde reported work on the multi-million dollar indoor practice facility for the Kansas football team will "begin soon." KU Dir of News & Media Relations Erinn Barcomb-Peterson said that the contractor would "be on site next week to begin the project." The Kansas Board of Regents voted in November to give KU the authority to build the $26M facility, which is one part of an overall $300M renovation project KU "has planned for Memorial Stadium" (LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD, 4/12).
TRICE IS NICE: In Iowa, Caitlin Ware reports the Iowa Board of Regents approved several large-scale Iowa State projects "moving forward." The board approved proceeding with plans for a $65-80M project to "expand and renovate facilities at the north end of Jack Trice Stadium." The football complex will "include a 12-000-square-foot locker room, team lounge/gathering space and expansion of other functional areas of the facility." ISU will "need to get final approval of its financing plan" for the project before starting any phase of construction. ISU AD Jamie Pollard said that it is important to meet the estimated $25M project fundraising goals "in order to move forward" (AMES TRIBUNE, 4/13).
NEW DIGS: In Spokane, Jim Meehan reports Gonzaga has dedicated its Volkar Center for Athletic Achievement, which "features a Hall of Honor, a basketball practice court, a weight room and film room on the first floor" (Spokane SPOKESMAN-REVIEW, 4/13).
