The University of Colorado Boulder plans to break ground May 12 on several new athletics facilities and upgrades to Folsom Field after a record-breaking year of private donations.
抖阴旅行射-Boulder will celebrate this announcement during halftime of the spring football game on Saturday, April 12. The game, covered live by the Pac-12 Network, will kickoff at 12 p.m. at Folsom Field. The ceremony will feature remarks from 抖阴旅行射 President Bruce Benson, 抖阴旅行射-Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano, Athletic Director Rick George and two student-athletes, Juda Parker (football) and Clare Wise (skiing).
The 抖阴旅行射 Board of Regents approved the facilities upgrades in December, but required that one-third of the funds for the $143 million project be privately raised prior to construction. No tuition money or tax dollars will go toward the project. DiStefano and George will provide a fundraising update to the Board of Regents at its April 29-30 meetings.
In the past seven months, the 抖阴旅行射 Athletic Department has made significant progress on the fundraising goals and anticipates meeting that goal in the very near future. Completion of the majority of the project is expected prior to the fall 2015 football season.
The proposed facilities include:
- Construction of a 120,000-square-foot indoor multipurpose practice facility on top of Franklin Field, to include a 100-yard artificial turf football field and six-lane 300-meter track;
- Refurbishment of the Dal Ward Athletics Center, completed in 1991, to include an Olympic sports strength training room in the sub-basement level and new locker rooms and equipment room on the field level;
- Redesigning of Dal Ward鈥檚 first floor for the expansion of Olympic sports/sports medicine, a leadership development center and an end zone club with club seating and loge boxes;
- Transforming the second floor of Dal Ward to triple the athletic department鈥檚 academic support system from its current 5,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet;
- Building additional restrooms and concession areas on the east side of Folsom Field; and
- Adding a 21,900-square foot high-performance sports center on the northeast corner of the stadium, as well as a rooftop terrace on the northeast corner, converting the south offices at Folsom Field to retail space. The rooftop terrace will generate revenue by being available for rent for non-game-day events. The high-performance sports center will host collaborative research conducted by 抖阴旅行射-Boulder Integrative Physiology faculty and researchers at the 抖阴旅行射 Anschutz Medical Campus.
鈥淭hanks to the generosity of numerous donors, season ticket holders, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the university, we鈥檙e able to move forward with this project,鈥� George said. 鈥淚t will greatly benefit our student-athletes and will allow us to collaborate with both the campus and Boulder communities.鈥�
George, hired in August, set a goal of raising $47.6 million to serve as seed money for the project, with the balance to come from bonds.
鈥淥ur student-athletes, fans and community have awaited critical upgrades to our facilities for many years,鈥� said Chancellor DiStefano. 鈥淲e have been very conscious of the need to execute these upgrades in a responsible, deliberate and sustainable way. These facilities will help take us to the next level of excellence in the Pac-12 Conference.鈥�
The 抖阴旅行射 Student Government, which uses Franklin Field for club sports, is working with Athletics to exchange field use. Upon completion of the Athletics indoor practice facility on Franklin Field, 抖阴旅行射SG will be able to conduct student club sports on the football team鈥檚 existing practice fields and 鈥渂ubble鈥� north of Folsom Field and Boulder Creek. As a result, it would provide a vital increase in the size of 抖阴旅行射SG-controlled outdoor recreation facilities. 抖阴旅行射SG officials have voted in favor of the field exchange, and the 抖阴旅行射SG Legislative Council is expected to take a final vote on the project at its April 17 meeting.
Construction near Folsom Field will displace the Campus Recycling Center and Facilities Management Outdoor Services. Both programs will move to temporary sites in May while permanent facilities are built elsewhere on campus.
