Memphis Indoor Facility Gets Updated Timeline

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The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee)

 

The University of Memphis athletic department announced Friday that construction on Phase I of the football team's long-awaited indoor practice facility project is expected to begin on July 15. The schools hopes it will be completed by August 2019.

Phase I features the renovation of the Murphy Athletic Complex on the university's Park Avenue campus. It will include new coaches and operation offices, a new training facility, player dining and study areas; as well as new water therapy and work spaces.

There still remains no target date for the start of Phase II of the project, which consists of the actual indoor practice facility.

The university previously stated that Phase I is expected to cost $10.6 million. The Memphis Board of Trustees approved $10 million in debt financing from the Tennessee State School Bond Authority last August to fund construction on the first phase.

Memphis first announced plans to begin raising money for the football team's indoor practice facility and a new indoor basketball practice facility more than five years ago. The school held a groundbreaking ceremony for the football facility in April 2017.

Last November, athletic director Tom Bowen said construction would begin in January. The athletic department then announced in January that it was targeting a spring 2019 completion date for Phase I.

But there were no signs of progress on the project during the football team's spring practice last month.

Bowen explained Thursday during an interview on Sports56 WHBQ that the delays were due to dealing with the state contracting process mandated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. The TBR is overseeing this project since it began before the University of Memphis Board of Trustees was formed last year.

"We've been dealing with an unbelievable mountain of bureaucracy with the TBR in building this project ... We've had delays after delays," Bowen said. "I will tell you it's been very frustrating for me and a mountain of delays that should've never happened, and we're ready to go. The funding is there, so I think we'll be able to put all the wondering and angst to rest."

The University of Memphis announced Friday that starting July 1 the school will manage future construction projects through its Board of Trustees and the State Building Commission after being granted severance for capital project management from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission during THEC's quarterly meeting last week in Nashville.

The $20 million Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center opened last November and its construction was expedited by a $10 million gift from former Tiger basketball player Bill Laurie and his wife, Nancy Walton Laurie.

According to the timeline for Phase I of the football team's indoor practice facility shared Friday, the school will continue final bidding for pool and flooring items until June 15. Turner Construction, the contractor for the facility, is expected to prepare its cost proposal by that day.

Between June and July 15, the school will begin the process of gathering signatures for the construction contract. Once that is done, the school expects to receive a notice to proceed with construction.

The hope is that the football team can move in to its new home by August 2019.

Blue lot sold out

Bowen announced this week that the Blue Parking Lot at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium is sold out for the 2018 Memphis football season.

There are only about 400 spaces remaining in the Tan Lot, but school officials expect those to sell quickly now that there are no spots left in the blue lot.

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May 27, 2018
 
 
 

 

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