Penn State Trustees Approve $160 Million in Athletics Projects
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Penn State's Board of Trustees approved more than $160 million in funding for athletics projects that will impact all 31 varsity sports teams, including $70 million for the first phase of renovations to Beaver Stadium. Other notable projects include the long-awaited expansion of the Jeffrey Field soccer complex and the continued renovation of the Lasch Football Building.
"You've got to be able to go put your money where your mouth is," Penn State Athletic Director Patrick Kraft said in December. "If you are committed to go win a national championship, and I am in everything, then we have to be able to do it and find the resources. One of the biggest things we've had to do in the last five to six months [of 2022] is completely rebuild our budget to make sure we're focusing on those being able to be nimble and focus on the initiatives that help our student-athletes reach their full potential on the field."
Penn State's Board of Trustees approved more than $90 million to build a permanent home for its soccer programs, develop a training table for all athletes and add indoor practice space. More than $20 million will go to the next phase of renovations to the Lasch Football Building. The athletic department, which is self-funding, will pay for the projects through fundraising, its capital budget and loans.
"I am committed to continuing to grow our Intercollegiate Athletics program and to keeping Penn State competitive on the national stage," Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said in a statement announcing the Beaver Stadium project. "We have one of only a handful of self-sustaining intercollegiate athletics departments in the country, which means that this project can move forward, distinctly, without using the University's overall budget, tuition dollars, student fees or the critical resources available in support of our educational and research missions."
Here's a look at what Penn State Athletics plans for the next few years.
Lasch Football Building
What's happening: Penn State recently completed Phase 1 of renovations to the football team's home, which included a $48.3 project highlighted by a new weight room. In Phase 2, Penn State plans to renovate offices and meeting spaces on Lasch's second floor as well as build an expansion above the Lasch patio to create event space. Kraft said that the building currently doesn't have enough space to accommodate the larger football staff and required meeting space.
Proposed cost: $22 million, funded by Penn State Athletics. The Board of Trustees' Committee on Finance, Business and Capital Planning proposed a spending goal of $20 million, funding $7 million through fundraising. The entire multi-year Lasch renovation, including a recent $48.3 million project, will cost about $98 million, according to Kraft. About $52.5 million is planned to come from fundraising.
Jeffrey Field Complex
What's happening: The home of Penn State's men and women's soccer teams since 1972 will see quite an overhaul. Plans call for a new operations center, locker rooms, training and treatment facilities, coaches' offices and more. The addition will comprise about 24,000 square feet and serve as the programs' home. "Our soccer programs have been among the best in the country, and this world-class new complex is a deserved home for them," Kraft said.
Proposed cost: $21.25 million, funded by Penn State Athletics. About $8 million has been raised through donations, according to the finance committee. Construction is scheduled to begin in August 2024, with a completion date of October 2025. Last year, called Jeffrey Field the athletic department's "No. 1 priority."
Training Table and Wellness Center at the Greenberg Indoor Sports Center
What's happening: Once the home of Penn State hockey, Greenberg became a university general-use facility after the Pegula Ice Arena opened. Now, Penn State is returning Greenberg for athletics use. The department plans a 38,000-square-foot training table for athletes from all 31 varsity sports. The venue will serve meals and house fitness and recovery spaces. According to Penn State, "the addition of an all-sport training table will provide the 800-plus student-athletes with a space to fuel to the prescribed needs of a high-performance athlete, as well as a space for all 31 teams to be able to interact with each other to continue to develop the athletics community."
Proposed cost: $31.9 million, with $10 million coming via gifts. The project is scheduled to be completed in August 2025.
Indoor Practice Facility
What's happening: Penn State plans to build a seasonal indoor practice facility, or bubble, for athletes participating in Olympic sports. The bubble will cover 106,000 square feet and can be taken down annually. Ten programs use Holuba Hall during the winter months, making practices difficult to schedule. The bubble will alleviate that stress and is significantly cheaper than a permanent structure, Kraft told the trustees' finance committee. He called it an "urgent" need that also could serve as event space.
Proposed cost: $9.8 million, funded with bond financing. It's expected to be ready by November 2024
East Area Locker Room Renovation
What's happening: Some training spaces will relocate from the East Area Locker Room to Greenberg, freeing space in the building. Penn State plans office space, athletic lounge and a fuel station in the building's first floor.
Proposed cost: $5.2 million, funded with bond financing. The project is expected to be finished by June 2024.
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