August Athletics Construction Roundup

The Athletics Construction Roundup is a monthly series on construction of athletics facilities. Each month I’ll provide you with a list of athletic construction projects in progress (and recently completed) across the country, including details on budget and scope of the project.

Texas A&M University
After utilizing them on a trial basis for three games last season, Texas A&M is in the process of purchasing cooling benches for the sideline of Kyle Field. The benches are produced exclusively by Athletic Recovery Zone, a Florida based company.

University of Utah
Utah football is moving into its new $32 million facility. For over a year, the program was housed in trailers.

University of Nebraska
The university’s Center for Brian, Biology and Behavior opened this month and is housed in Memorial Stadium. One of the center’s main projects is a $3 million dollar device designed to be used on the sidelines to track concussions.

The turf field at the stadium has been replaced and will feature “Tom Osborne Field” on it for the first time in 14 years.

The athletic department has also asked the Board of Regents to consider a $20.4 million plan for a soccer and tennis complex.

University of Michigan
The athletic department is investing its $8.9 million budget surplus into athletic projects. The investment will help outset the increase of the projected costs of new projects.

Duke University
Work has begun in earnest on Duke’s $100 million, long term facility plan. The current construction is on practice fields for lacrosse and soccer.

Wichita State University
The Shockers men’s basketball team will receive a locker room renovation for the first time in ten years after an anonymous donation. The new locker room will feature the program’s regional championship trophy and other symbols from its Final Four appearance.

The arena will also receive a center-hung scoreboard and an additional 18 smaller video screens.

Air Force Academy
Falcon Stadium may go through a $50- $65 million renovation according to pictures posted by an assistant football coach on Twitter and subsequent comments by the athletic director. Current plans are just conceptual and not architecturally sound.

Washington State University
Athletic Director Bill Moos provides an in-depth look at the development of facilities in this Q&A.

University of Minnesota
A six to eight year, $190 million master plan has been unveiled. The first two phases include upgrades to the football facility and a multiple purpose building which will include practice space for a number of sports.

Portland State University
Athletic Director Torre Chisholm talks about the government impact on college athletic facilities in this interview.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
After a one year hiatus to play on campus, the men’s basketball will return to downtown and U.S. Cellular Arena. The $14,000 per game rental fee is approximately 17% lower than the previous agreement.

University of Houston
As a result of stadium construction Houston will play its football games this season off-campus, at three different venues.

Boise State University
Despite considering plans that included a blue hardwood to match its iconic football turf, Boise State has unveiled a relatively tame court design at Taco Bell Arena.

University of Richmond
As a part of an ongoing renovation project, four 15 x 32 video boards will be added to the Robbins Center. The boards will be the largest in the A-10.

Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech has spent $45,000 on rebranding its football and basketball facilities with Conference USA logos. The cost of changing conference logos in facilities is an often overlooked aspect of realignment.

University of Alabama
Construction of a $14.6 million media center is underway at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The facility will be home to three media properties, including Crimson Tide Productions.

University of Nevada
Members of the Wolf Pack football team will see a $100,000 locker renovation when they return to campus this fall. Head Coach Brian Polian says that previous incarnation of the locker room resembled a high school’s facility.

University of Arkansas
Ground has been broken on the previously announced baseball and track facility. The facility will cost $9.6 million.

University of Oregon
The $68 million Football Performance Center has been officially unveiled. Among other lavish amenities, the facility includes a barber shop.

In case you missed it– Facilities projects previously mentioned on the site

We updated you on Cal baseball.

USC has won a deal to own the LA Coliseum.

Those financial revelations about Cal’s football stadium aren’t that shocking.

Luke Mashburn is a Game Day Operations Specialist at Kennesaw State University. You can follow him on Twitter @L_Mashburn.