Six new facilities are in the works for University Athletics to improve both the campus and student-athlete experience, said Emmett David, associate athletic director of Facility and Project Management.
The Carl Maddox Field House renovation is a visible example. The Athletic Department invested around $3 million into “modernization and renovation” of the field house, David said. This includes the visitor toilets, men’s and women’s locker rooms and a common team lounge for meetings. Indoor track events will be held in the facility starting Feb. 8, although the project won’t be complete until March. For these events, the indoor track and field area will be open for use and concessions will still be offered.
Also in progress are new locker rooms in Tiger Stadium, David said. The men’s and visitors locker rooms will undergo renovations in the near future.
The Tiger Athletic Foundation is funding three envisioned construction projects, David said.
The first is the ongoing south end expansion of Tiger Stadium. David said construction is 65 percent complete, and will result in 3,000 club seats and 1,500 general admission seats. This expansion will be ready for Sept. 6, the first gameday next fall.
A new tennis facility serves the second development funded by TAF. Located south of Alex Box Stadium and adjacent to AgCenter LaHouse, the $8.5 million, 73,000 square foot building will boast six indoor courts and 12 outdoor courts when complete. The design meets NCAA regulations for nighttime and televised play on ESPN.
“Tiger Athletics visited peer institutions and used specialty design consultants for this championship play arena,” David said.
Construction on the project will begin in May, David said.
The final project funded by TAF is a gymnastics facility currently in design. At $8.5 million, the 72,000 square foot structure will be used for practice, David said. Gymnastics meets will continue to be held in the PMAC.
David said construction on the gymnastics facility should begin by August north of the PMAC Practice Facility and east of Carl Maddox Field House.
Additionally, TAF gained approval January from the University Board of Supervisors to assist in demolition of vacated housing properties on Nicholson Drive across from the LSU Bernie Moore Track Stadium, David said. This will create parking space for 80 RVs and 1,100 cars by the first home football game on Sept. 6. Commuter students will also be able to use the lot.