Facility Friday: Minnesota Athlete's Village, Illinois Football Facility and More

The University of Minnesota opened its brand new Athlete’s Village last weekend. The $166 million, 338,000-square-foot project includes three new buildings: an indoor practice facility, the Larson Football Performance Center and the Land O’Lakes Inc. Center for Excellence and Cunningham Basketball Performance Center. The village is available to the school’s 750 student-athletes, and offers amenities including practice space for the basketball programs, a weight room for the football program, an academic area with tutoring rooms, and a so-called “Leadership Center” aimed at helping student-athletes find jobs or graduate school programs. —Source: Twin Cities Pioneer Press 

Today we welcomed those who made Athletes Village possible. #HatsOff to our incredible donors for improving the #Gophers student-athlete experience for many years to come! pic.twitter.com/z6OjNnPE1S

— Minnesota Gophers (@GopherSports) February 15, 2018

The University of Illinois accepted a $5 million gift from former football captain Stu Levenick that will be put toward the construction of a new football facility. The football performance center will feature a strength and conditioning area, sports medicine space, coaches offices, meeting rooms, locker rooms and an auditorium that will be named for Levenick. The facility is expected to be complete prior to the 2019 season. —Source: Chicago Tribune

Iowa State University announced plans to upgrade and expand football facilities in a proposal made public this week. The project, which is estimated to cost between $65 and $80 million, would expand the Bergstrom Football Complex and build new academic and sports nutrition centers for use by student-athletes. The project still needs board approval. — Source: The Gazette

The Charleston County School District is seeking budget approval for a 6,000-seat regional football stadium. The project would cost a reported $34 million, making it the most expensive high school stadium in the state of South Carolina. — Source: Post & Courier 

Also noticed: Florida International baseball showed off a look at the team's new locker room: