Breaking Ground
The University of North Alabama has broken ground on its new $65 million Bank Independent Stadium. The stadium will have a capacity of 10,000, and the design includes a premium tower, a weight room, 13 suites, a multipurpose stadium club, outdoor gathering areas and multiple seating options, as well as the space for future expansion. The full project is expected to be completed in fall 2026.
The Miami-Dade County (Fla.) Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department broke ground on a new state-of-the-art aquatics center at Southridge Park in Venice. The new facility will include a swimming pool with a splash pad, as well as an integrated rec center that will provide multipurpose and program rooms, a gym, restrooms and locker rooms. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.
Lubbock Christian University in Texas held an official groundbreaking for the Rip Griffin Center Expansion Project. The $7.2 million project includes 28,000 square feet of new and renovated construction, featuring a new training facility, a weight room, two practice gyms, a hospitality suite, and men’s and women’s basketball office suites. The project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025.
First Pitch
Rendering courtesy of the University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is moving forward with a new waterfront entertainment district on the Tennessee River near Neyland Stadium. Tennessee Athletics announced a notice of intent to award the Neyland Entertainment District Project to the 865 Neyland Project Team led by Dixon Greenwood, along with Jake Miller, Taylor Gray, Hartland Hotel Group and Johnson Architecture. The proposed development will include an entertainment district of nearly 175,000 square feet, an update of existing parking infrastructure, a full-service 240-room “condotel” that houses 60 luxury condominiums, a rooftop restaurant and bar, a conference center, lounges and more.
Coastal Carolina University announced plans to build an 8,000-seat arena that will host men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and serve as a convocation center on campus. The school also wants to host high school tournaments and graduations at the planned facility. Ground could be broken on the project as early as 2026. The school says the facility is a “generational project” that would be paid for with penny sales tax funding.
Grand Openings
The University of Virginia officially held the grand opening for the 93,000-square-foot Molly and Robert Hardie Football Operations Center. The $180 million facility includes a team locker room, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, a weight room, a training room, a recovery room, a performance nutrition space, hydration and fueling stations, as well as two outdoor practice fields.
Officials at West Texas A&M University cut the ribbon on the Bain Athletic Complex after completing the third and final phase of the project. The nearly 15-year, $12.5 million project includes a 3,900-square-foot locker room for the football team, a 7,600-square-foot weight room with capacity for 500 student-athletes, an athletic training room and locker rooms for the women’s and men’s soccer teams. The final phase of the project provides more modern office space for coaches, track and field locker rooms and the Piehl Family Hall, which will provide a large team meeting room space.
Idaho State University held an open house for the school’s newly renovated Jared Allen Strength and Conditioning Center. The gym received a full makeover and equipment upgrade as part of a $500,000 gift from an anonymous donor.
