College Athletics Construction Roundup: August 2016

The “College Athletics Construction Roundup” is a monthly series on the construction of intercollegiate athletics facilities. Each month we’ll provide a list of announced, in progress and recently completed athletic construction projects from around the country. You can view previous editions of the “College Athletics Construction Roundup” here.

Master Plan

The University of Evansville has several projects in the planning stages. The school is planning to move women’s basketball to the Carson Center for the 2017-2018 season, revamp the National Guard Armory to accommodate more sports and design a new sports performance center.

Georgia State released renderings for the proposed redevelopment of Turner Field and the surrounding neighborhoods. The proposed plan is to transform the current site in a mixed-use project featuring athletic facilities, dorms, hotels, restaurants and housing. In this plan, the stadium is expected to be reconfigured into a football stadium.

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Football

Ole Miss is nearing completion of the $43 million renovation to Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium. The north end zone has been closed in, providing an additional student and band seating. Maximum capacity for the stadium is now just over 64,000. The renovated stadium will also feature a grass field for the first time since 2002.

Georgia will completely re-sod Sanford Stadium, which has not previously been done since 2000.   Several games last season in rainy conditions along with increased practice time on the field has simply worn out the turf.

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Basketball            

Memphis began construction on a new $20 million basketball training facility. The 58,000-square-foot will include coach office space, an academic support center, locker rooms and a weight room. The project is expected to be completed before the 2017-2018 season.

North Dakota State will hold the grand opening for the Sanford Health Athletic Complex on November 11 when the men’s basketball program hosts Arkansas State. The $41 million project is a renovation of the former Bison Sports Arena.

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Olympic / Other Sports

Quinnipiac resubmitted plans for renovations to two athletic fields. The plans call for resurfacing the fields and building stadiums around the fields, one seating 500 people and the other 1,500 people. The fields would be used by several programs including field hockey, lacrosse and soccer.

Jacksonville State approved construction of a new baseball stadium. The facility will include a 1,000 seat grandstand, press box, game operations center, clubhouse and enclosed training facility. Construction is expected to last nine – 12 months and be ready for the 2018 season.

Mississippi State is nearing completion on the new $1.8 million field house for the women’s soccer program. The building will include a locker room, treatment area, film room coaches’ locker room and kitchen. Completion is expected by September 1.

Iowa State began construction on a new 16,000-square-foot indoor tennis facility. The $2.5 million facility will include a team lounge, locker room, practice courts and video coaching systems. The building is expected to be complete by the end of December 2016.

George Mason held a groundbreaking ceremony for renovations at Spuhler Field. The project will include step-down dugouts with a protective fence and a new brick backstop. Completion is expected by the start of the 2017 season.

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Academic & Multi-Use Facilities

Gonzaga approved a new Center for Athletic Achievement. The $24 million, 51,000-square-foot facility will house an academic support center the Gonzaga Athletics Hall of Fame and a new strength and conditioning and practice facility for the basketball program.