App State Breaks Ground on New, 85,000-Square-Foot Indoor Practice Facility
Appalachian State University broke ground on a new, 85,000-square-foot multiuse indoor practice facility located on the Boone campus. The multiuse complex will replace the university’s previous Sofield Family Indoor Practice Facility and feature a 100-yard-long artificial turf field supporting multiple athletics programs.
The larger facility will also increase its scope, to serve more areas across campus and allow for public–private health care collaborations.
“This new building isn’t just about ensuring App State athletes can train and practice,” said App State Chancellor Heather Norris. “It’s also about adding to the App State Experience, broadening possibilities for students, faculty and staff to enhance their education and applied research and practice opportunities, while preparing students for the workforce.”
$40M Renovation Transforms Furman’s Timmons Arena
After more than a year of work on the $40 million renovation of Furman University’s Timmons Arena, visitors will soon find a transformation so complete they may think the only thing remaining of the original structure is the name.
For all intents and purposes, the home of Paladin basketball is now a brand-new, purpose-built sports arena that will offer fans the type of experience that memories are made of, according to Jason Donnelly, Furman’s vice president for intercollegiate athletics.
When university leaders announced the Timmons project in February 2024, it was clear they were aiming for far more than a simple facelift. For one thing, the project was the largest donor-funded project in university history, anchored by a $10 million gift by businessman and philanthropist Ravenel B. Curry III, a 1963 Furman graduate.
Riverhounds Plan to Add More than 10,000 Seats to Highmark Stadium
Highmark Stadium is looking at major upgrades. The Riverhounds on Tuesday announced plans and renderings for adding on to the stadium after success on the field in recent years.
The idea is to put more than 15,000 total seats into Highmark Stadium while maintaining the view of Downtown Pittsburgh, opening the door for more events to come over to the South Shore.
Currently, there are about 5,000 seats in the stadium, with the Hounds having sellouts for more than 70% of their games. In just six games, the Riverters saw more than 28,000 people in their inaugural season.
"The growth in the fanbase, what we experience here on Saturdays each and every week in the last 6 or 7 years has been just amazing," Riverhounds midfielder Robbie Mertz said.
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