DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Phase 2 is underway for upgrades to Bethune-Cookman University's athletic facilities.

The effort was marked Wednesday by a Miami fundraiser, where more than $120,000 was raised for the project.

The goal for Phase 2, which will cost about $2.5 million, includes a new football locker room, administration building and equipment upgrades.

“Athletics is a very important part of the HBCU experience,” said Larry R. Handfield, an alumnus and lawyer who hosted the fundraiser. “As a former drum major, I believe it’s very important that B-CU continues to produce and expose our students to the very best experience so that they can be competitive on the field and also in the classroom, and to prepare them for a life of service after they graduate.”  

The first phase of the project, groundbreaking on a new football practice facility, began in 2012 and concluded in April.

The campus upgrades follow protests in January over what students called dirty facilities. It is unclear if the protests had any impact on the recent upgrades.

B-CU last month announced the demolition of two dormitories on campus that dated back to the 1920s and 1950s.

According to a video released by the university last month, the demolition is expected to take about six months.

Plans for those sites are still in the works, B-CU officials said.