![[Rendering courtesy Perkins and Will]](https://img.athleticbusiness.com/files/base/abmedia/all/image/2021/01/ab.ForwardP121_feat.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
Breaking Ground
Georgia State University held a groundbreaking ceremony for its $85.2 million convocation center in November. The facility, designed by SLAM and Perkins&Will, will be the new home for the school's basketball programs and also host campus events such as concerts and graduations. Expected to be completed in August 2022, the facility will include classroom and academic support spaces, allowing for the accommodation of conferences and esports tournaments.
![[Rendering courtesy ICON Architectural Group]](https://img.athleticbusiness.com/files/base/abmedia/all/image/2021/01/ab.ForwardP121b.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=max&q=70&w=400)
[Rendering courtesy ICON Architectural Group]
Legacy Sports USA has broken ground on a 320-acre multipurpose sports complex called Legacy Sports Park in Mesa, Ariz. The project, by lead architect ICON Architectural Group, will be the largest privately owned sports and entertainment complex in the country. Outdoor amenities include 23 soccer fields, 16 sand volleyball courts, 40 pickleball courts, eight baseball and softball fields, and a 50-acre multipurpose space for concerts, festivals and other events. With a target completion date of January 2022, the complex will also include an indoor multipurpose sports complex with 62 volleyball courts, 16 NBA-sized basketball courts, an esports arena, a fitness center and more.
The Episcopal School of Jacksonville (Fla.) recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a six-court beach volleyball complex. The Cosner Beach Volleyball Center will support the school's new beach volleyball program, which is scheduled to have its first match in February.
First Pitch
The University of Illinois received a $500,000 gift to help fund the Ubben Basketball Complex expansion and renovation project. The renovation will double the building's square footage, featuring additional court space, state-of-the-art sports medicine facilities and an enhanced strength and conditioning area. The facility will also include new locker rooms, team areas, study spaces and expanded staff offices. Groundbreaking is slated for spring 2021.
The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents authorized the construction of a $35 million South Campus Recreation Center. The 63,000-square-foot facility will feature strength and conditioning spaces, basketball and volleyball courts, indoor soccer facilities, a climbing wall, locker rooms and more. The facility is scheduled for completion in June 2022.
Grand Openings
Appalachian State University held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in November for its Kidd Brewer Stadium north end zone facility. The project includes 88,233 square feet of indoor space, as well as 1,000 balcony seats that feature unobstructed sightlines into the stadium. In addition, the facility includes a weight room, a locker room, a team lounge, a hydrotherapy treatment area and a team store. The $50 million project includes a ballroom for hosting academic conferences, receptions and banquets.
Liberty University opened Liberty Arena, the home of its basketball and volleyball programs, with a November ribbon-cutting ceremony. The 4,000-seat, 125,000-square-foot arena features a state-of-the-art video board, ribbon boards and new flooring. The Flames are enjoying their inaugural seasons in the facility this winter.
This article originally appeared in the January | February 2021 issue of Athletic Business with the title "Forward Progress." Athletic Business is a free magazine for professionals in the athletic, fitness and recreation industry. Click here to subscribe.
