First Pitch
The University of Missouri System Board of Curators has approved a motion to proceed with $250 million in upgrades to the north concourse of Memorial Stadium. The project will see field-level seating added beneath the stadium’s Rock M and grassy seating area, which will be able to hold 300 people. There also will be premium seating added above the hill, which will make up the majority of the 160,500-square-foot construction project.
Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees has approved a new sports arena that will be home to MSU’s volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling teams. Planners are hoping for a 4,000- to 5,500-seat venue that will ensure the facility is large enough to meet the minimum requirements for hosting Big Ten Conference championships in those three sports. Athletic director Alan Haller envisions a multi-use space that can also host the state finals in a number of Michigan High School Athletic Association sports, as well as concerts and other events serving the Lansing area.
Breaking Ground
Mobile, Ala., broke ground on a new aquatics center at the Mobile County Sportsplex. The 40,000-square-foot Mobile County Aquatics Center will house an indoor competitive pool, a warmup instructional pool, locker rooms and restrooms. There will also be an outdoor competition pool with two diving wells. Officials say the center will take 12 to 18 months to complete.
Photo courtesy of Populous
The University of Utah broke ground on a new home for the Ute’s baseball team. The $35 million Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark will feature a FieldTurf playing surface, permanent seating for 1,200 fans plus grass berm seating in the outfield, locker rooms, coaches’ offices, medical space, equipment storage, indoor batting/pitching cages and a press box. The ballpark will also feature fan amenities, including concessions, restrooms, a ticket office and a merchandise shop.
Grand Openings
Yale Athletics celebrated the unveiling of the $38 million renovation to the Lapham Field House at the Smilow Field Center. The facility is home to Yale football, as well as the Bulldog men’s and women’s track and field and cross country programs. Each team has its own designated locker room space, complete with upgraded lockers and lounges for student-athletes. Additional spaces include a 110-person meeting space with a retractable wall, stadium seating and upgraded audio-visual equipment, as well as positional meeting rooms, nutrition stations and a creative studio.
Princeton Campus Recreation unveiled the completion of the Class of 1986 Fitness and Wellness Pavilion, the first phase of a two-phase restoration of Dillon Gym. The two-story project includes newly renovated central fitness areas, an accessible entrance and lounge, elevator access to all levels from the main gym floor to the rec pool, the “Power Studio” (a space with powerlifting and Olympic-grade equipment), upgrades to the cycle studio and a completely resurfaced outdoor recreational court.
Provo City, Utah, celebrated the grand opening of Epic Sports Park. Heralded by the city as “the largest multipurpose sports facility in Utah,” the park currently features 15 competition-sized fields and several playgrounds. While the park is now officially open, the site’s master plan provides a roadmap to a total of 21 competition-sized sports fields and 45 pickleball courts. The Epic Sports Park will accommodate sports such as soccer, lacrosse, football, rugby, Ultimate and more. Provo City officials say the layout will allow multiple events to occur simultaneously without conflict. Provo City mayor Michelle Kaufusi reports that the park is expected to bring in $40 million annually to the regional economy.
