tarmac
April 12th, 2006, 09:36 AM
Dirt may be moving soon.
http://www.theapp.appstate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1143&Itemid=39
Athletics Enhancement Plan nears groundbreaking Print E-mail
Tuesday, 11 April 2006
by CHRIS ZALUSKI
Sports Editor
The $32 million Athletics Facility Enhancement Plan, which was unveiled this past November, is nearing the end of its planning stages.
“I know that they’re trying to get through some red tape right now to start moving dirt,” Sports Information Director Mike H. Flynn said.
The original plan said construction would begin during spring 2006, but Associate Athletics Director David Jackson said it is hard to place a timeframe on the project.
“The playoff run [of the football team] did delay some things, with the focus being on a team chasing a national championship,” Jackson said.
With the 2005 national championship, the move from I-AA to I-A status has been speculated as reasoning for the enhancement plan.
“It’s not being built specifically for that, but it’s being designed to continue to compete for championships,” Jackson said.
The Board of Trustees approved the original athletics enhancement plan in February 2003. The plan was adopted under former Chancellor Francis T. Borkowski and former Athletics Director Roachel J. Laney.
“What we’ve seen is the plan get changed around for one reason or another,” Jackson said.
Despite changes, final plans begin to take shape. Renovation of the Owens Field House and construction of a baseball field behind the Broyhill Inn & Conference Center will be the first actions once the plan is set into motion, Flynn said.
“The baseball project holds the key to a lot of others things,” he said.
Flynn said once the baseball field is complete, the softball facility will move where the baseball field was, and an indoor athletic facility will be built behind the softball field.
Due to space constraints, the current field house will be renovated instead of torn down.
“We were extremely tight with space, and now that Broome-Kirk is coming down we’re even more so,” Jackson said.
A new field house will be built adjacent to Owens Field House. Flynn said this building will include a new chancellor’s box, luxury seating and club seats, but it will not be complete by this upcoming football season.
Another aspect of the plan is the funding needed to keep the project active. Jackson said funds for the project are still being collected.
According to Appalachian Today magazine, $21 million of the $32 million have been collected, with $16 million of the collected funds coming from students’ athletics fees.
Jackson said the money from student fees would be a large part of helping to pay for the field house renovations, but money is still needed.
“The fundraising portion of [the plan] right now is still in the silent phase,” Jackson said. “But I’ll say that those efforts have been stepped up lately.”
No final completion date has been set for the enhancement plan. Despite the lack of construction, Jackson said he believes they are doing the research and planning needed to make the facilities useful for years to come.
“If people don’t see structures going up today, they need to realize that there are still things going on,” he said.
http://www.theapp.appstate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1143&Itemid=39
Athletics Enhancement Plan nears groundbreaking Print E-mail
Tuesday, 11 April 2006
by CHRIS ZALUSKI
Sports Editor
The $32 million Athletics Facility Enhancement Plan, which was unveiled this past November, is nearing the end of its planning stages.
“I know that they’re trying to get through some red tape right now to start moving dirt,” Sports Information Director Mike H. Flynn said.
The original plan said construction would begin during spring 2006, but Associate Athletics Director David Jackson said it is hard to place a timeframe on the project.
“The playoff run [of the football team] did delay some things, with the focus being on a team chasing a national championship,” Jackson said.
With the 2005 national championship, the move from I-AA to I-A status has been speculated as reasoning for the enhancement plan.
“It’s not being built specifically for that, but it’s being designed to continue to compete for championships,” Jackson said.
The Board of Trustees approved the original athletics enhancement plan in February 2003. The plan was adopted under former Chancellor Francis T. Borkowski and former Athletics Director Roachel J. Laney.
“What we’ve seen is the plan get changed around for one reason or another,” Jackson said.
Despite changes, final plans begin to take shape. Renovation of the Owens Field House and construction of a baseball field behind the Broyhill Inn & Conference Center will be the first actions once the plan is set into motion, Flynn said.
“The baseball project holds the key to a lot of others things,” he said.
Flynn said once the baseball field is complete, the softball facility will move where the baseball field was, and an indoor athletic facility will be built behind the softball field.
Due to space constraints, the current field house will be renovated instead of torn down.
“We were extremely tight with space, and now that Broome-Kirk is coming down we’re even more so,” Jackson said.
A new field house will be built adjacent to Owens Field House. Flynn said this building will include a new chancellor’s box, luxury seating and club seats, but it will not be complete by this upcoming football season.
Another aspect of the plan is the funding needed to keep the project active. Jackson said funds for the project are still being collected.
According to Appalachian Today magazine, $21 million of the $32 million have been collected, with $16 million of the collected funds coming from students’ athletics fees.
Jackson said the money from student fees would be a large part of helping to pay for the field house renovations, but money is still needed.
“The fundraising portion of [the plan] right now is still in the silent phase,” Jackson said. “But I’ll say that those efforts have been stepped up lately.”
No final completion date has been set for the enhancement plan. Despite the lack of construction, Jackson said he believes they are doing the research and planning needed to make the facilities useful for years to come.
“If people don’t see structures going up today, they need to realize that there are still things going on,” he said.