If you've driven anywhere around the southern end of campus you've likely seen a lot of the construction going on around the Roost and the new Athletics Village area. We wanted to give everyone an update on all of the current projects we have going on. Improving and renovating current facilities and building new facilities when necessary is a priority for Athletics as we grow and continue to see success. Our competition venues and support facilities such as academics, sports medicine, offices and meeting areas all factor in to recruiting top-notch student-athletes to represent our university and providing an environment where they can be successful.
We have several facilities projects either currently under construction or planned to begin at the end of the team's season, totaling over $53 million in upcoming facilities projects:
We've already completed several other important projects not included in that $53 million. The $12.6 million Dodie Anderson Academic Enrichment Center was the first piece of the Athletics Village and has been open for almost one year now. Another piece of the Athletics Village, the Roost Athletic Training Center, is a renovated building that now houses a new athletic training room for our spring sports and new locker rooms for softball, men's and women's track and men's and women's tennis. In addition to the opening of "the Dodie" and the new Athletic Training facility, we recently saw over $5 million in improvements to the football areas of Williams-Brice Stadium (locker rooms, lobby, recruiting room, etc.) and renovations of restrooms and suites. We also made improvement to the Swimming & Diving facility in conjunction with Student Affairs. Carolina Natatorium in the Blatt P.E. Center received approximately $1 million to renovate the pool deck and lighting. The Frank McGuire Club in Colonial Life Arena has been refurbished and the Carolina Field House received electrical and fan upgrades. The department spent $15 million to acquire the Farmers Market land to eventually develop the planned state of the art, multi-use tailgating and parking area for fans. Another $15.5 million will be spent developing the property for the 2012 football season as mentioned above.
It's important to note that South Carolina Athletics is self-supporting. We rely on private donations and our athletics revenue to run the department, including making these facility improvements to continue to grow as a nationally prominent program. We do not rely on state tax money for our athletics expenses and in fact Athletics has donated money to the university's academic budget.
It's being a national leader.
It's recruiting and supporting our student-athletes.
It's seeing success in all venues of competition.
It's the Garnet Way.
Brittany Lane, Spurs Up Blog
We have several facilities projects either currently under construction or planned to begin at the end of the team's season, totaling over $53 million in upcoming facilities projects:
- Beckham Field renovation (Softball) - We are renovating the field to install better turf and a drainage system, similar to our Baseball and Soccer facilities - Summer 2011 after Softball season wraps up
- Colonial Life Arena Men's and Women's Basketball locker room renovations - will begin after this season and be completed prior to next season
- Farmers Market development - I wrote previously about the plans for the Farmers Market. For next football season it will be flattened and available for parking. The full development of the area will be complete for the 2012 football season.
- Athletics Village- Tennis Complex - to be completed this fall.
- Coaches Support Building - an office building for most sports and support services to be completed in the summer of 2012
- Parking Garage - a multi-use facility that will be completed this May
- Infrastructure - upgrades to the South Energy Plant to support the new and existing buildings, laying pipes for steam and chill water, an underground water storage tank for irrigation and landscaping.
- To see the full master plan for the Athletics Village, click here.
We've already completed several other important projects not included in that $53 million. The $12.6 million Dodie Anderson Academic Enrichment Center was the first piece of the Athletics Village and has been open for almost one year now. Another piece of the Athletics Village, the Roost Athletic Training Center, is a renovated building that now houses a new athletic training room for our spring sports and new locker rooms for softball, men's and women's track and men's and women's tennis. In addition to the opening of "the Dodie" and the new Athletic Training facility, we recently saw over $5 million in improvements to the football areas of Williams-Brice Stadium (locker rooms, lobby, recruiting room, etc.) and renovations of restrooms and suites. We also made improvement to the Swimming & Diving facility in conjunction with Student Affairs. Carolina Natatorium in the Blatt P.E. Center received approximately $1 million to renovate the pool deck and lighting. The Frank McGuire Club in Colonial Life Arena has been refurbished and the Carolina Field House received electrical and fan upgrades. The department spent $15 million to acquire the Farmers Market land to eventually develop the planned state of the art, multi-use tailgating and parking area for fans. Another $15.5 million will be spent developing the property for the 2012 football season as mentioned above.
It's important to note that South Carolina Athletics is self-supporting. We rely on private donations and our athletics revenue to run the department, including making these facility improvements to continue to grow as a nationally prominent program. We do not rely on state tax money for our athletics expenses and in fact Athletics has donated money to the university's academic budget.
It's being a national leader.
It's recruiting and supporting our student-athletes.
It's seeing success in all venues of competition.
It's the Garnet Way.
Brittany Lane, Spurs Up Blog
Leave a comment