COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
HOK
Alongside renovations that enhance revenues at stadiums and arenas, the welfare
of the student athlete has become a major
driver for college and university sports construction, with Clemson University’s planned
$55 million football operations center a
prime example.
“The student athletes’ days are rigorous,
so giving them a facility that meets all of
their needs is paramount,” said Nate Appleman, vice president and global director of
Sports+Recreation+Entertainment at HOK.
“It doesn’t matter the size of the college,
schools are investing heavily in the health
and welfare of the student athlete. In addition to meeting the evolving needs of student athletes, a forward-looking facility can
be a key recruiting tool for attracting the
best high school athletes.”
In early November, Clemson University
broke ground on what will be the largest
college training facility dedicated to football. The 140,000-square-foot, state-of-theart complex, which will be adjacent to the
outdoor practice fields and indoor training
facility, will pull all of the football program’s
elements into one dedicated area of campus. Clemson’s new facility will house
spaces for dining, academics, sports per-
Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, is building a
55,000-square-foot football training facility.
formance, hydrotherapy, a lounge and
coaches’ offices.
“Having a single, dedicated facility for
student athletes to spend their off-field time
builds camaraderie among players, which,
in turn, can enhance the team’s cohesiveness,” said Appleman. “Having dedicated
sports medicine spaces allow schools the
opportunity to address injury issues immediately, creating an environment where student athletes’ health and wellness is a priority.”
HOK, in association with Perkins+Will, is
completing the design phase of a
400,000-square-foot training facility — the
most comprehensive in collegiate athletics
— to house a large portion of the athletic
programs at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, the facility will capitalize on connectivity and views to the lake and will bring
athletics back onto campus. The facility will
house all the elements for the school’s football, soccer, field hockey, women’s
lacrosse, cross country and swimming and
diving programs. It will also feature dining
and academic space for student athletes,
as well as leadership programs, sports medicine, lounges and hydrotherapy.
HOK also has a 55,000-square-foot football training facility under construction at
Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
While training facility construction continues, colleges and universities have not
slowed their renovation work on stadiums
and arenas. On campuses small and large,
colleges are looking for innovative ways to
generate revenue, introduce new premium
HOK
HOK projects focus on athlete well-being
The Campus Crossroads Project at Notre Dame Stadium will become the hub of student life when it’s
completed in 2017, combining athletic facilities with student recreation and academic space.
seating concepts and create a more comfortable experience for fans.
“These buildings are increasingly complex, with complex goals and timelines.
Our collegiate clients are interested in
enhancing revenues — and we’re working
to do so through strategic, market-driven
design — while creating an experience
that provides for student athletes, creates
energy around a university’s brand and
reinvigorates a fan base,” Appleman said.
“At places like Davis Wade Stadium at Mississippi State University, we used this
approach to create an entirely new experience for every ticket holder.”
The $75-million expansion and renovation included a completely reimagined
gameday experience, with the addition of
seating neighborhoods, including loge
seats, mini suites, social gathering spaces
and a scoreboard club. A reconfigured student seating section, new video boards
and expanded capacity were key to the
Bulldogs competing in the SEC.
HOK, as a consultant to architect of
record S/L/A/M Collaborative, has renovations and additions under construction at
Notre Dame Stadium. Opening in time for
the 2017 season, the stadium will house the
Campus Crossroads Project, which will
combine athletic facilities with academics
and recreation for the entire student body
and create a year-round hub at the center
of the school’s campus.
HOK is a global design, architecture,
engineering and planning firm that, in 2015,
is celebrating 60 years of design and innovation. HOK acquired 360 Architecture in
January and launched its new
Sports+Recreation+Entertainment practice,
whose mission is to deliver exceptional
design ideas and solutions for clients, creating next-generation sports destinations that
maximize revenues and efficiencies for
owners and contribute to the vitality of the
broader community. ■
In association with Goodwyn l Mills l Cawood
S PORTS + RE CREAT I ON + ENT ERTA I NMENT
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL OPERATIONS BUILDING
32
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STREET & SMITH’S SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL
NATE APPLEMAN
+1 816 472 3360
[email protected]
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 6, 2015
COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Managing the logistics of a massive
moving event, such as the NCAA Men’s
Final Four, takes years of planning and hard
work to wrangle all of the disparate parts
into a single, successful culmination. One
of the conductors of the Final Four orchestra is L.J. Wright, director of the NCAA’s
Men’s Basketball Championship, who oversees the operations side to bring the action
to NRG Stadium in Houston in 2016.
“There are so many different dominoes
and all of them have to fall at the precise
time and in the precise way so that when
the student athletes step onto the court
and the fans arrive at the site, they have an
unbelievable, positive NCAA championship
experience,” said Wright.
The challenges of the Men’s Final Four
are many, starting with the difficult task of
creating an intimate basketball atmosphere in a cavernous, domed football stadium. In 2009, Wright and the NCAA partnered with ticketing company, Veritix, and
utilized its advanced ID-based digital ticketing technology for the Final Four. That
technology, Flash Seats, creates a system
of nontransferable tickets that ensures students from participating teams are seated
just behind the goals to build and keep the
energy amplified surrounding the court
and in the stadium. Additionally, tickets purchased on the NCAA Ticket Exchange are
distributed as Flash Seats digital tickets.
Throughout the process, buyers don’t have
to pick up, print or present a paper ticket,
providing a hassle-free and convenient
environment for fans.
“In Houston, we’re expecting approximately 75,000 college basketball fans for
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 6, 2015
VERITIX
Intricate choreography brings Final Four to life
The NCAA created a basketball atmosphere inside Lucas Oil Stadium for the Men’s Final Four in April.
The NCAA expects 75,000 fans to attend the 2016 Men’s Final Four in Houston.
the semifinals and again for the national
championship game,” said Wright. “Those
aren’t typical basketball attendance numbers; however, we work to host those
75,000 in a safe, secure environment, while
creating the best championship atmosphere possible for the student athletes,
their families and the fans.”
Due to playing in large venues, the
NCAA and the local organizing committees in each city must enhance the sound,
wireless systems and video boards within
the stadiums. Each year, the host venue
gets a portable hardwood court, specially
designed for that Final Four, and extra risers
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
❘
and seating to bring fans closer to the
action. Signage and ticketing must also be
addressed.
“Not only are we creating basketball
games in a football stadium, but each
year, we’re moving the event to a different
site,” said Wright.
The NCAA has a facility coordination
group comprised of stadium event managers from future host cities to ensure the
event maintains a level of consistency from
year to year, even as the Final Four continues to grow and evolve. Currently, the
group includes representatives from Phoenix (2017), San Antonio (2018), Minneapolis
STREET & SMITH’S SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL
(2019), Atlanta (2020) and Indianapolis
(2021).
“That helps us because the facility coordination group becomes the eyes and
ears when the Final Four reaches each
city,” said Wright. “And having members
involved for multiple years helps them
answer questions for their own venues –
how do we handle student entry; what do
we do for the media work room; how do
we better approach wireless technologies?
Every stadium is different with varying ways
of operating, but the facility group helps
with the transition of the event from year to
year. It smooths any rough edges.”
The NCAA also relies heavily on the
local Division I universities and/or conferences to make the event possible, such as
the tri-hosts for Houston – the University of
Houston, Rice University and Texas Southern
University.
One of Wright’s biggest goals is to make
the logistical work invisible to fans. “Like a
good official, we know we’ve done our job
well if no one notices we’re there,” he said,
laughing.
Come March, Wright and the NCAA
operations team will take over NRG Stadium for two weeks, executing an hour-byhour, minute-by-minute, tightly coordinated
timeline.
“We come to NRG on the heels of the
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,” Wright
said. “When the rodeo drives its last truck
out, our trucks will be lined up outside,
engines running, ready to work nonstop to
make sure the Final Four is the pinnacle of
a great experience in the lives of our student athletes.”
■
33
COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Daktronics’ new LED stanchion displays
for basketball arenas are quickly generating
additional advertising revenues for colleges
and universities across the country.
Adapted by NBA teams a year ago, colleges and universities are following suit, with
eight schools already adding the new application to their arenas.
The stanchion displays, affixed to the
basketball hoop supports, take the place of
static advertising and are visible from both
side courts.
“Daktronics stanchion displays substantially increase a school’s inventory of available advertising space within the arena,”
said Chris Westerman, product manager for
Daktronics. “Instead of a single, fixed advertiser, you can rotate the advertising any time
the game clock stops. NBA teams and colleges have quickly adopted this new means
of communicating sponsor messages with
fans.”
In the last two months, Daktronics has
installed stanchion displays in eight college
arenas:
• Georgia Tech’s Hank McCamish
Pavilion
• UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion
• Rutgers University’s Louis Brown Athletic
Center
• University of Mississippi’s new arena,
The Pavilion
• Baylor University’s Ferrell Center
• University of Texas’ Frank C. Erwin Jr.
Special Events Center
• University of South Carolina’s Colonial
Life Arena
• University of Florida’s Stephen C.
O’Connell Center
DAKTRONICS
Colleges adopt new LED stanchion displays
Daktronics continually brings the best in innovative LED technology to colleges and universities, including
Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium, now sporting the nation’s largest college video display board.
The stanchion displays are one in a long
line of innovative products generated during the company’s 40-year history of technological innovation.
This year, Daktronics installed 37 new LED
video displays for 19 college football stadiums, including the nation’s largest college
video board at Auburn University. Daktronics
installed 20 center-hung displays at college
basketball venues.
“As LED technology has become more
affordable, we’re seeing increasing use of
our displays for other college sports, such as
softball, soccer, track and aquatics,” said
Robin Hall, regional manager for Daktronics.
“Colleges have also taken our products
beyond the sports realm into displays campuswide to communicate messages to their
students. Our focus is to, not merely create
the biggest video boards in the nation, but
to create the very best installation, customized uniquely for each space, for every customer’s budget, large or small.”
Daktronics simplifies matters for customers by offering a fully integrated system.
Daktronics not only designs and installs displays, but stands behind the long life of their
displays with service and parts. Daktronics
uses a single kind of control system, which
means college operators only need to
undergo training once to operate all Daktronics systems campuswide.
“We’re committed to making our boards
last,” said Matt Anderson, who handles college sports marketing for Daktronics. “We’ve
been installing LED video displays for more
than 15 years and have it down to a science. We have the most experienced project management team in the industry and
that ensures the whole process goes
smoothly and easily for the customer. With
Daktronics, you not only get a 10-year video
board that will be installed correctly, you will
enjoy a longstanding, dedicated partnership.”
The company continually dedicates substantial investments in research and development to afford its customers the best in
leading-edge technology. Daktronics backs
that technology with a wide network of technical service specialists for ongoing support
and Daktronics Creative Services, a dedicated team that partners with customers to
create award-winning professional displays.
In the first two weeks of the 2015 season,
Daktronics Creative Services provided live
event production for 41 college football
games.
Since 2012, Forbes magazine has annually named Daktronics as one of “America’s
most trustworthy companies.”
Since its founding in 1968 in Brookings,
S.D., Daktronics, which is a U.S.-based manufacturing company, has become the
world’s industry leader in designing and
manufacturing electronic scoreboards, programmable display systems and large
screen video displays. The company sets
the market standard for customized LED digital displays, from team introduction videos
to sponsorship messages. Daktronics has
installed more than 14,500 video-capable
displays and more than 75,000 displays
worldwide.
■
CAMPUS INSIGHT
NEWSLETTER
Curious if you’re missing an opportunity on your campus?
Find out how other schools are getting the most out of their displays and learn about new,
innovative trends that we’re seeing in other markets, including professional sports.
Sign up for the Daktronics Campus Insight newsletter to help keep you and your school
informed of the latest trends in LED digital signage for the college and university market.
www.daktronics.com/CampusInsight
34
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
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STREET & SMITH’S SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 6, 2015
COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Ephesus LED systems ensure the best lighting for sports
LED systems, which begin with the development of the LED chips designed specifically for high-definition technology.
“Today’s camera technology is incredible, but without the quality light, the cameraman is forced to use an aperture that
ultimately would lose the picture’s depth of
focus, resulting in poor definition,” said
Casper. “Our LED solid-state lighting technology increases depth of focus even at
low light levels. Facility operators can adjust
the Ephesus LED system to give the venue
perfect lighting for any circumstance.”
For the athlete, harsh shadows have a
visual impact on the apparent speed of
the puck or ball. Each light of Ephesus’ systems is individually controllable, so the
light level and uniformity can be adjusted
to eliminate that effect and create a perfect playing surface for athletes.
For fans in the stands, the colors on the
branding strategy.
Ephesus tackles the full project for customers, from the initial concept to installation and training for operators. Ephesus
engineers created and manufacture their
own control system that’s especially
designed to be friendly for end-users.
Much of the demand for Ephesus
technology has come from owners of
existing facilities who want to upgrade
their lighting technology while saving on
energy costs, a big budget item for operating a sports facility. Ephesus’ LED solidstate technology uses both lower wattage
and fewer light fixtures overall.
“Venue owners see a 75 percent cost
savings with our product,” said Casper. “It’s
maintenance free and lasts for 10 years.
The complete return on your investment is
three years or under. After that, you’re putting money in the bank.”
■
EPHESUS LIGHTING
The high-definition technology, such as
4K and the future 8K, coming online for
broadcasting sports has little value if the
lighting on the playing surface is wrong.
Ephesus Lighting, based in Syracuse,
N.Y., creates camera-ready lighting by
adding a spectrum of light to its LED fixtures that makes it possible for broadcasting crews to shoot picture-perfect games
for home audiences, while creating clear,
crisp lighting at the venue for athletes and
fans.
“It’s not about adding more lights in the
venue to make it brighter,” said Joe
Casper, chief technology officer for Ephesus. “It’s about adding that particular
spectrum that replicates sunlight, which is
ideal for the human eye and for high-definition broadcasting cameras.”
Ephesus develops advanced solidstate technology to build its pioneering
At the University of Phoenix stadium, Ephesus
technology ensures crisp, shadow-less lighting
on the field for fans and athletes.
playing surface pop and lighting operators can add to the fan experience by
creating fun images on the surface. Sponsors can benefit, as well, as the Ephesus
lighting system has the capability to project color light on the court or ice as an
enhancement to the sponsors’ overall
SKANSKA
Recruiting the best high school players
and restructuring amenities for fans and
sponsors were two key goals behind Skanska’s $110 million renovation of the University
of Kentucky’s Commonwealth Stadium that
was completed in September.
“Competition for the best high school
athletes at big conference schools is fierce,”
said Tom Tingle, senior vice president and
national director of the Sports Center of
Excellence for Skanska. “Building amenities
for the student athletes has become a crucial recruiting tool for universities.”
At Kentucky, Skanska consolidated the
football program into a single complex with
meeting rooms, dining hall, study lounge
and performance and sports medicine
areas, plus a weight room. Student athletes
now have a home-away-from-home outside of classes and practice.
As part of Kentucky’s stadium renovation,
Skanska added a “recruiting room” that
opens to an outdoor patio in the end zone
next to the student section.
“Recruits will be blown away by the
incredible views of the game and by the
SKANSKA
Skanska college projects concentrate on athlete amenities
Prairie View A&M University hired Skanska to build a
new football stadium, which will open in April 2016.
experience of being surrounded by Wildcats
students creating a raucous atmosphere,”
said Tingle. “To get there, recruits pass a
video wall that shows current NFL players in
their old University of Kentucky uniforms. The
players’ images as Wildcats transform to
them in their current NFL uniforms. The
whole experience reinforces the message
to recruits that ‘Kentucky can get you to your
dreams.’”
Skanska demolished a portion of the
At the University of Kentucky, Skanska rebuilt
Commonwealth Stadium to enhance amenities
for fans and create a home-away-from-home for
student athletes.
south sideline lower seating bowl and rebuilt
it with new seating decks and stadium
chairs. At field level, Skanska added a fieldlevel Coaches Club with a lounge area
and, on the mezzanine level directly above,
a second club with a terrace. Skanska converted the former press box into loge boxes
with televisions and office chairs for extra
comfort. The suite level got its own outdoor
terrace. In addition, the company built a
new broadcast compound to accommodate the SEC Network.
“At college stadiums and arenas, there’s
a huge demand for loge boxes,” said Tingle. “People are looking for a comfortable,
premium feeling that’s less expensive than a
suite.”
Colleges and universities are also focusing on amenities for students. A prominent
member of the American Athletic Conference recently chose Skanska to renovate its
arena by demolishing 75 percent of the
bowl and building in 360-degree seating to
capitalize on the future alumni support of its
current students.
“We’re seeing Wi-Fi and DAS upgrades,
with a lot of that directed toward the students,” said Tingle. “If students don’t have
accessibility, they won’t come to the game.
At the Sun Dome at the University of South
Florida, we added a club area for the students.”
Skanska is a multi-national construction
and development firm that Engineering
News Record ranks as one of the world’s top
sports builders.
■
Rebuilding a program
starts here
After Kentucky hired a new coach to rebuild their football
program, they contracted with Skanska to rebuild the
Commonwealth Stadium with the goal of attracting top
recruits, stirring fan excitement and generating revenues.
Why trust your collegiate renovation project to anyone else?
Skanska is building what matters.
Commonwealth Stadium Expansion/Renovation
Lexington, KY
usa.skanska.com/sports
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 6, 2015
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
❘
STREET & SMITH’S SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL
35
COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
For the last decade, the NCAA has relied
on Connor Sports to produce portable hardwood basketball courts for its men and
women’s basketball tournament, including
the Final Four, regional sites and the preliminary rounds of the men’s tournament.
“We’re taking our QuickLock portable
hardwood flooring into 19 arenas every year
for the NCAA tournament alone,” said
Andrew Campbell, portables project manager for Connor Sports. “We have a small
army going around the country every March
making sure each floor is installed according
to NCAA guidelines at every tournament
site.”
Beginning in 2007, the women’s tournament court graphics became trend setting
for daring court design. A guitar spanning
the length of the court was a tribute to the
tournament host Cleveland’s Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. A year later, the women’s tournament continued the trend with a design of
oranges — using 27 shades of paint — to
honor Tampa Bay. The trend continues to
move forward with more progressive designs
each year.
When the Women’s Final
Four played in Denver on a
court depicting a mountain
scene, the Mountain West
Conference bought the
court for its own annual
tournament.
CONNOR SPORTS
Final Four chooses Connor basketball courts
Connor Sports brings the client’s vision to life with QuickLock™portable hardwood courts. Typical is the
NCAA Women’s Final Four design for Tampa Bay in 2008, a project that required 27 shades of paint.
“Every year, we know the women’s finals
court will be exciting and different,” said
Campbell. “We always look forward to meeting the challenge.”
When the Women’s Final Four played in
Denver on a court depicting a mountain
scene, the Mountain West Conference
bought the court for its own annual tournament. Connor stores and maintains the court
for them between tournaments.
In addition to the Mountain West, Connor
supplies courts for an additional 13 conference tournaments. The men and women’s
tournaments are usually played on different
courts in different cities, which adds to the
logistical challenges, but gives conferences
additional opportunities for branding.
“For every conference and tournament,
we have ongoing discussions all year long,
working out every logistical detail,” said
Campbell. “Our goal is to make sure every
project manager and arena manager is
comfortable and that the turnover crew has
a good experience with our product. We
want to make sure every person involved
has a great experience.”
Universities and colleges trust Connor
Sports for their permanent hardwood courts
as well, most recently at the University of
Utah, where Connor installed new game
and practice courts.
“Colleges and universities are now using
graphics on their hardwood courts as an
extension of their marketing,” said Campbell. “It’s a fun way to differentiate themselves in the recruiting marketplace. Schools
such as the University of Oregon’s fir trees,
San Jose State University’s Spartans and the
University of Central Florida’s ‘black top’
court showcase daring designs on their
Connor courts.”
In 2014, Connor took its nationwide experience and went international, providing FIBA
with courts for the FIBA World Cup. Courts
were manufactured, painted and sent to six
locations throughout Spain. The event went
so well that FIBA requested that Connor be
the provider for EuroBasket 2015, in four
countries throughout Europe. Connor will be
negotiating its way through four languages,
conferences and cultures. Connor has provided courts for NBA Canada Events, as well
as ESPN’s Armed Forces Classic in Okinawa,
Japan, which featured up Gonzaga University and the University of Pittsburgh.
Connor Sports was recently acquired by
Gerflor, a $750-million French company.
Based in Chicago, Connor, with manufacturing facilities in Salt Lake City and Amasa,
Mich., and a global network of dealers,
boasts more than 100,000 installations
worldwide, which, in addition to its basketball
courts, includes indoor tracks, volleyball surfaces and tennis courts.
■
We work closely with customers, architects and
general contractors, designing and installing sports
surfaces that work for athletes and facility managers.
– Andrew Campbell
Connor Sports — Portables Project Manger
OFFICIAL
COURT of
the NCAA®
Final Four®
CHAMPIONS OF
A commitment to customers builds a strong foundation for our sports surfaces.
It’s why we deliver the industry’s best customer experience – with customized design,
trouble-free installation, ongoing field service and technical support.
connorsports.com | 1.800.283.9522
38
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ConnorSports
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
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CUSTOMERS
NCAA and Final Four are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
STREET & SMITH’S SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 6, 2015
COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Alamodome
Description: Renovations to accommodate 2018
NCAA Men’s Final Four
Architect of record: Populous; Marmon Mok
Contractor: Turner Construction
Est. cost: $41 million
Start date: TBD
Completion date: 2017
Location: San Antonio, Texas
California Baptist University
Name of facility: CBU Events Center
Description: New multipurpose arena
Architect of record: SVA Architects; HOK
Contractor: Sundt Construction
Est. cost: N/A
Start date: 2014
Completion date: 2017
Location: Riverside, Calif.
University of Cincinnati
Name of Facility: Nippert Stadium
Description: Football stadium renovation
Architect of record: Heery International
Contractor: Turner Construction
Design Consultant: Architectural Research Office
Est. cost: $86 million
Start date: Winter 2013
Completion date: Fall 2015
Location: Cincinnati
Clemson University
Name of facility: Littlejohn Coliseum
Description: Renovation, expansion of basketball
arena
Architect of record: LS3P
Contractor: Turner Construction
Est. cost: $48 million
Start date: May 2014
Completion date: August 2016
Location: Clemson, S.C.
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
Name of Facility: Brooks Stadium
Description: Football stadium expansion
Architect of record: SMHa
Sports Design Consultant: Heery International
Contractor: TBD
Est. cost: $16 million
Start date: Fall 2015
Completion date: Est. Fall 2017
Location: Conway, S.C.
University of Colorado
Name of facility: Memorial Stadium
Description: Football stadium expansion
Architect of record: AECOM
Contractor: Turner Construction
Est. cost: $22 million
Start date: November 2014
Completion date: August 2015
Location: Clemson, S.C.
Description: New training/practice facility
Architect of record: Populous
Contractor: Mortenson Construction
Est. cost: $156 million
Start date: March 2014
Completion date: February 2016
Location: Boulder, Colo.
Colorado School of Mines
Clemson University
Description: New football operations facility
Architect of record: Goodwyn Mills Cawood; HOK
Contractor: DPR Harden; Sherman
Est. cost: $55 million
Start date: 2015
Completion date: Fall 2017
Location: Clemson, S.C.
Name of Facility: Marv Kay Stadium at Harry D.
Campbell Field
Description: New football stadium and team
facilities
Architect of record: Heery International
Contractor: GH Phipps
Est. cost: $21 million
Start date: Fall 2012
Completion date: Fall 2015
Location: Golden, Colo.
Colorado State University
Description: New football stadium; academics
and alumni center
Architect of record: Populous
Contractor: Mortenson Construction
Est. cost: $216.5 million
Start date: September 2015
Completion date: Fall 2017
Location: Fort Collins, Colo.
DePaul University
Name of facility: McCormick Place Event Center
Description: New multipurpose arena
Architect of record: Moody Nolan
Contractor: N/A
Est. cost: N/A
Start date: October 2013
Completion date: January 2018
Location: Chicago
Florida SouthWestern State
College
Name of facility: Suncoast Credit Union Arena
Description: New student recreation, athletic
facility
See NEW PROJECTS, page 40
The changing expectations of college
sports fans and growing concerns for the
well-being of student athletes have led Populous to new, fresh designs for an array of
sports facilities on campuses nationwide.
“We’ve paid close attention to how fans
want to experience a game today,” said
Sherri Privitera, principal at Populous. “Not
every fan wants to sit in a seat, looking
straight ahead. It’s about the ability to
move around or socialize with friends.”
In September, Colorado State University
broke ground on a Populous-designed stadium that will include more clubs in a wide
range of price points and different kinds of
seating, particularly in the end zone.
“In some parts of a stadium, it’s not necessarily about assigned seating,” said Privitera. “At Colorado State, we’ll have end
zone areas with standing room and bar
tops, where fans still command a great
view and are part of the game day, but
also can socialize or give children room to
stretch their legs. The stadium will address
the myriad ways people want to experience game day, whether that’s in the end
zone or in more traditional sidelines seating.”
Purdue University recently chose Populous to design a new 110,000-square-foot,
$60 million football performance center.
“Creating a modern, expanded space
to unify all football operations will make
both the program and the daily life of the
student athlete more efficient,” said Privitera. “Beyond that, Purdue’s athletic department, like many nationwide, has made it a
priority for student athletes to succeed academically and in their lives after college.
Those goals are behind the drive to create
the best environment possible to optimize
both team and individual performances.
Purdue’s football center — whether it’s
through nutrition, sports medicine, academics or spaces to build camaraderie —
will give the student athlete and football
team the best opportunities possible for
success.”
■
POPULOUS
Populous stadium designs redefine fan amenities, experiences
Colorado State University recently broke ground on a new, Populous-designed stadium that will include a
variety of clubs in a wide range of price points.
Kyle Field at Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas
T +1 816 221 1500
WE DESIGN PLACES
WHERE PEOPLE LOVE
TO BE TOGETHER.
[email protected]
populous.com
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 6, 2015
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
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STREET & SMITH’S SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL
39
COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Major tenant: Basketball, volleyball teams
Architect of record: Harvard-Jolly
Contractor: Skanska
Est. cost: $22 million
Start date: July 2015
Completion date: December 2016
Location: Fort Myers, Fla.
Description: Stadium renovation
Architect of record: Populous
Contractor: Mortenson Construction
Est. cost: $8 million
Start date: January 2016
Completion date: August 2016
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Description: New basketball arena
Architect of record: AECOM
Contractor: B.L. Harbert International
Est. cost: $92 million
Start date: July 2014
Completion date: October 2016
Location: Oxford, Miss.
facility
Architect of record: AECOM
Contractor: TBD
Est. cost: N/A
Start date: December 2015
Completion date: October 2017
Location: Newark, N.J.
University of Illinois
Miami University
University of Mississippi
University of Notre Dame
Name of facility: State Farm Center
Description: Basketball arena renovation, addition
Architect of record: AECOM
Contractor: Turner Construction; Clayco
Est. cost: $125.5 million
Start date: March 2014
Completion date: October 2016
Location: Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
Kansas State University
Name of facility: Vanier Family Football Complex
Description: New student athlete center; football
stadium renovation
Architect of record: Populous
Contractor: Mortenson Construction
Est. cost: $65 million
Start date: December 2014
Completion date: July 2015
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Kansas State University
Name of facility: Vanier Family Football Complex,
Phase III-B
Name of facility: Gunlock Family Athletic
Performance Center
Description: New training facility
Major tenant: Football program
Architect of record: HOK
Contractor: Turner Construction
Est. cost: N/A
Start date: August 2015
Completion date: 2016
Location: Oxford, Ohio
Name of facility: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Description: Stadium expansion
Architect of record: AECOM
Contractor: Roy Anderson Corp.
Est. cost: $24 million
Start date: January 2015
Completion date: September 2016
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Name of facility: Campus Crossroads Project
Description: New athletic facilities, student center
at Notre Dame Stadium
Architect of record: HOK
Contractor: Barton Malow
Est. cost: $400 million
Start date: 2014
Completion date: Fall 2017
Location: South Bend, Ind.
University of New Hampshire
North Carolina State University
Name of facility: Cowell Stadium
Description: Football stadium expansion
Architect of record: Populous
Contractor: PC Construction Co.
Est. cost: $25 million
Start date: May 2015
Completion date: June 2016
Location: Durham, N.H.
University of Minnesota
Name of facility: Athletes Village
Description: New complex for student athletes
Architect of record: BWBR Architects
Contractor: Mortenson Construction
Est. cost: $166 million
Start date: November 2015
Completion date: January 2018
Location: Minneapolis
Name of facility: Reynolds Coliseum
Description: Multipurpose arena renovation
Architect of record: Corley Redfoot Architects;
HOK
Contractor: Danis
Est. cost: $23.5 million
Start date: 2013
Completion date: August 2016
Location: Raleigh
New Jersey Institute of
Technology
University of Mississippi
Name of facility: Event + Wellness Center
Description: New multiuse sports and recreation
Name of facility: The Pavilion at Ole Miss
See NEW PROJECTS, page 43
At Arkansas State University, the stadium’s club
spaces create a sense of intimate rooms.
moveable lounge furniture.”
AECOM has evolved a club-suite hybrid
as owners demand more up-close involvement in the gameday excitement, while
retaining suite amenities.
“At Kansas State University, we’ve built
outdoor seating for all of the suites,” said
Niemuth. “We’ve left a few indoor seats for
traditional fans who want climate control,
but generally, fans are outside to watch the
AECOM
Meeting the challenge of creating the
constantly evolving best gameday experience for fans, along with developing the
most sought-out premium seating is
AECOM’s focus when designing facilities for
colleges and universities nationwide.
“As customer sophistication continues to
evolve, we’re adding another rung to the
hospitality ladder,” said Jon Niemuth, director of AECOM Sports, Americas.
“At Arkansas State University, the club
spaces we designed are less about a
defined dining space and are now more
residential in feeling, with fireplaces and
lounging areas,” said Steve Terrill, AECOM’s
Americas sports sector principal. “Instead of
a linear, wide open space, we’ve created
the feel of intimate rooms that happen to
be visible to each other. It augments the
tailgating experience by giving fans a more
casual space to intermingle. We have
added an outdoor terrace for fans with
AECOM
AECOM designs showcase fresh approaches to hospitality
The Pavilion at Ole Miss, opening in 2016, will
house a club to serve both the basketball arena
and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
game and inside for food and beverages.”
AECOM has built premium suites lower in
the stadium bowl at Ole Miss to put patrons
in the center of the energy and created
field-level clubs to give donors opportunities
to interact with players.
The University of Mississippi’s new basketball arena, opening in January, sits 40 feet
from the football stadium and will showcase
the Pavilion Club on the concourse, which
will serve both the arena and VaughtHemingway Stadium. The stadium will open
an end zone club in fall 2016 as part of the
north end zone transformation.
“You can tailgate in the Grove, then
come to the Pavilion Club in the arena, then
go on to your seat for the football game, or
stay with your friends in the club the entire
time,” Niemuth said. “Transient ticketing will
be the next rung of hospitality on the ladder.”
“Fans want to connect and engage on
three levels,” said Greg Brown, project
designer and senior associate for AECOM.
“They want to engage with their group of
friends; they want to engage with the
70,000 other fans in the stadium; and they
want to engage in a unique way with the
team they’ve come to support. Our challenge is to create that holistic experience
and then make it individual for every
patron.”
■
INSPIRE. INNOVATE. CREATE.
AECOM offers a new approach to planning,
designing and building successful sports
destinations. It’s about the bigger picture and the
finer grain. It’s about connections and transport,
the environment and sustainability.
It’s about planning and landscape, local traditions
and culture. From long before the seats have
been filled to long after they have emptied,
we understand that sports and their built
environment is about much more than a game.
Drew Berst
816.360.4459
[email protected]
Clockwise from top left:
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Wellness + Events Center
Newark, NJ
Arkansas State University, Centennial Bank Stadium Renovation
Jonesboro, AR
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, State Farm Center
Renovation + Addition
Urbana-Champaign, IL
University of Memphis, Basketball Practice Facility
Memphis, TN
University of Mississippi, The Pavilion at Ole Miss
University, MS
40
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STREET & SMITH’S SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 6, 2015
COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Colleges and universities nationwide
have enlisted Mortenson Construction to
help create the best fan experience and
recruit the most talented athletes, due to
Mortenson’s reputation for building quality
projects that are delivered on time, on budget and finished to the last detail.
Mortenson is involved in college and university sports projects across the United
States, from the new stadium at Colorado
State University to the completion of the
Pegula Ice Arena at Penn State University,
along with an extensive resume of new collegiate stadiums and arenas, athletic training complexes and renovations.
“Schools are looking to differentiate
themselves for recruits, their families and the
fans,” said Logan Gerken, director of project
development for Mortenson’s Sports Group.
“We’re building high-performance training
complexes at a variety of universities to create a second home for student athletes.
Athletic directors and coaches want to
ensure the full wellbeing of their athletes,
both on and off the field, and to create a
sense of family.”
Mortenson recently broke ground on Athletes Village at the University of Minnesota,
which will become the hub of daily life for
the school’s 720 student athletes. The
340,000-square-foot complex will house the
Academic Center for Excellence, along with
football and basketball practice facilities, a
dining hall and nutrition center, sports medicine facilities and lounge space. Mortenson
will finish the Athletes Village in 2018.
“We understand that our customer’s goal
is to give the student athlete a meaningful
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 6, 2015
MORTENSON CONSTRUCTION
Mortenson delivers smooth, turnkey experience
Throughout every construction project, such as Penn State’s intramural facility, left, and Colorado State University’s alumni center, Mortenson focuses on
delivering a product that’s finished on time and on budget, down to the last cup holder.
experience while they’re here,” said Caitlin
Van Winkle, business development manager
for Mortenson’s Sports Group. “If those student athletes have the facilities needed to
compete and win on the field and provide
a meaningful experience now, then that
can build a school’s donor base and
alumni commitment.”
Throughout every construction project,
Mortenson is dedicated to its core themes –
on time and on budget, while creating an
exceptional experience for everyone.
Mortenson, and joint venture partner GE
Johnson Construction, recently completed
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the Vanier Family Football Complex and
North Stadium Project at Kansas State University under budget and ahead of schedule in a single off-season to guarantee no
disruptions to the football program. The project doubled the school’s space for student
athlete enhancements and provided additional seating and amenities for fans.
“Much of our track record in delivering
successful projects can be attributed to
having the best talent and leveraging the
most advanced technology in the industry,”
said Derek Cunz, vice president and general
manager of Mortenson’s Sports Group.
STREET & SMITH’S SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL
At Pinnacle Bank Arena, home of the University of Nebraska’s men and women’s basketball teams, Mortenson handed over the
keys five weeks early and with zero punchlist
items. With the extra time, the arena was
able to host 18 additional events, generating substantial, unexpected revenue.
“When we hand over the keys to any
project, we’re done, down to the last cup
holder,” said Gerken. “There is only one
opening day for any venue and we want
every opening day for every project to be a
smooth, perfect experience for the fans, the
colleges and the staff.”
■
41
INFINITE SCALE
COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Award-winning design group, Infinite Scale, breathed life into the bricks and mortar of the University of Utah’s Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Basketball Facility and Sorenson Performance Center, creating modern,
sophisticated graphics and branding to tell the story of Utah’s basketball traditions.
Infinite Scale graphics bring buildings to life
Creating a carefully curated, precisely
orchestrated campus tour can serve as an
important tool in the race to attract the
best high school athletes to colleges and
universities at every division level. Athletic
departments are adding pathways that, literally, step-by-step showcase a school’s
potential to realize every recruit’s dreams.
Infinite Scale, the award-winning design
group that has created brand integration
and signage for projects that range from
the 2002 Olympic Winter Games to five
Super Bowls, turns the bricks and mortar of
the physical pathway into a thrilling experience for every recruit, using graphics, color
and design, along with forging an overarching theme, to tell the school’s story.
The University of Utah athletic department hired Infinite Scale to breathe life into
the Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Basketball
Facility and Sorenson Performance Center,
which opened in August, and houses both
men and women’s basketball.
“Infinite Scale helped us tell the story of
Utah basketball throughout our space,”
42
said Phil Cullen, Utah’s director of operations for men’s basketball. “Every space in
the building, whether it’s the gym, office,
film room or locker room, shares the traditions of the past, respects the present and
establishes us for the future. Each piece of
the branding is intentional, telling our story
from start to finish.”
Infinite Scale strategically designed
every detail of the graphics system to
evoke the elevated perspective of a basketball player, which encourages the
viewer to look up, such as through the
larger-than-life legacy graphic panels in
Legacy Hall, the heroic student athlete portraits in the practice courts and a threestory drum and feather logo outside the
team office.
“The experience of entering the Kem
and Carolyn Gardner Legacy Hall takes
your breath away and it’s equally thrilling
for new recruits, current student athletes
and the legions of current and future Utah
basketball fans,” said Molly Mazzolini, a
partner at Infinite Scale. “Legacy Hall is an
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experience that transcends a mere hall of
fame.”
For the basketball facility, as for all its
projects, Infinite Scale collaborated in a
Creative Council with both clients and all
other partners involved in bringing the project to life.
“Infinite Scale, in conjunction with the
Creative Council, created the name for
Legacy Hall,” said Mazzolini. “The name,
the hall and the facility combine to honor
the history of the Utes’ basketball program,
its key players and its coaches. Together,
we’ve created a modern, sophisticated
execution that perfectly integrates with the
contemporary design of the facility. It illustrates to recruits that Utah is ‘always looking
forward, while honoring the past.’”
“Speaking as a former athlete and
alumni of the University of Utah, our goal
was for the facility to be 100 percent
authentic to our basketball program and
our athletic department,” said Cullen. “Our
pride is our student athletes and Huntsman
is their space. With the latest equipment
STREET & SMITH’S SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL
and technology we now offer in our Sorenson Performance Center, there are no limits
on what they can accomplish.”
“The design and creative impact Infinite
Scale brought to Utah athletics to tell our
brand story turned the building from walls
and floors into a living expression of the
basketball programs,” said Ann Argust,
Utah’s associate athletic director. “To
ensure that walking into our facilities feels
completely like the University of Utah, with
the brand integrated from start to finish –
that can only happen with a great partner.
Infinite Scale delivers in every way.”
In collaboration with Populous, Infinite
Scale recently completed the design work
for Texas A&M University’s Kyle Field renovations, now the largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference.
Among its many other sports projects,
Infinite Scale is also creating all of the
design work for the Capital One Orange
Bowl and the 2016 College Football Playoff
National Championship, as it did for the first
National Championship this year. ■
NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 6, 2015
COLLEGE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Northwestern University
Name of facility: Lakefront Athletic & Recreation
Complex
Description: New training and recreation facilities
Architect of record: Perkins+Will; HOK
Contractor: TBD
Est. cost: N/A
Start date: 2013
Completion date: 2018
Location: Evanston, Ill.
University of Oklahoma
Name of facility: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma
Memorial Stadium
Description: Football stadium renovation
Architect of record: Populous
Contractor: Flintco-Austin
Est. cost: $160 million
Start date: Spring 2015
Completion date: September 2016; final phases,
February 2017
Location: Norman, Okla.
Penn State University
Name of facility: Louis and Mildred Lasch Football
Building
Description: Football facility renovation, phases
I and II
Architect of record: Crawford Architects (Phase I);
Populous (Phase II)
Contractor: Mortenson Construction
Est. cost: $15 million
Start date: June 2015
Completion date: July 2016
Location: State College, Pa.
Penn State University
Name of facility: Intramural athletics building
Description: Football athletics complex upgrade
Architect of record: Moody Nolan
Contractor: Mortenson Construction
Est. cost: $73 million
Start date: February 2013
Completion date: July 2017
Location: State College, Pa.
Prairie View A&M University
Name of facility: Panther Stadium
Description: New football stadium and athletic
building
Architect of record: PBK Architects
Contractor: Skanska
Est. cost: $53.4 million
Start date: January 2015
Completion date: April 2016
Location: Prairie View, Texas
Start date: Fall 2015
Completion date: Estimated Fall 2017
Location: Troy, Ala.
Complex
Description: New multipurpose arena; new soccer
fields
Architect of record: Architecture Inc.; Populous
Contractor: Mortenson Construction
Est. cost: $60 million
Start date: September 2014
Completion date: July 2016
Location: Vermillion, S.D.
Utah State University
Name of facility: Maverik Stadium
Description: West side football stadium
renovation
Architect of record: Method Studio
Contractor: Oakland Construction
Est. cost: $30 million
Start date: May 2015
Completion date: August 2016
Location: Logan, Utah
University of Texas
Name of Facility: Texas Athletic Nutritional Center
(TANC)
Description: Student athlete dining facility
renovation
Architect of record: Heery International
Contractor: Hensel Phelps
Est. cost: $6.3 million
Start date: Spring 2014
Completion date: Fall 2015
Location: Austin, Texas
West Virginia University
Name of Facility: Milan-Puskar Stadium
Description: Complete concourse renovation
Architect of record: Heery International
Contractor: Hunt; P.J. Dick
Est. cost: est. $40 million
Start date: Winter 2012
Completion date: Estimated Fall 2017
Location: Morgantown, W.Va.
Troy University
University of South Dakota
Name of facility: Sports Performance
Enhancement Facility; First Bank and Trust Soccer
Name of Facility: Veterans Memorial Stadium
Description: New north end zone addition, team
facilities
Architect of record: McKee & Associates; Heery
International
Contractor: TBD
Est. cost: $17 million
Heery International has been tapped by
colleges and universities nationwide to construct the best new facilities for student athlete well-being, along with designing stadiums, both new and renovated, and new
practice facilities.
“We’re designing both freestanding nutrition facilities for student athletes and training
tables that are within stadium complexes
that have the ability to convert to premium
club space on game day,” said Todd
Ballew, vice president of Heery. “Using the
Texas Athletic Nutrition Center as one of
many stadium club offerings at the University of Texas gives fans a unique, premium
experience, allowing them to feel connected with the team. From a practical perspective, it plays a dual role by providing a
revenue stream to the athletics program on
game day.”
Interest in student athlete nutrition is
intense. When the NCAA changed its rules
recently regarding athletes’ meals, athletic
departments seized the opportunity to mon-
itor the quality and types of food their student athletes consume, even bringing in
dietitians to address individual dietary
needs.
“From pure performance to recovery to
rehabilitation, it’s all directly affected by your
nutrition,” said Ballew. “Having a place that
takes care of all that makes it convenient for
the student athlete to comply, while also
maximizing the time in a student athlete’s
day with a convenient location within the
athletics precinct.”
Along with Texas’ nutrition center, Heery
added a volleyball practice and team facility to the stadium complex.
In September, Heery completed the
Jerry and Gene Jones Family Student Athlete Success Center at the University of
Arkansas. The 55,000-square-foot facility
addresses the nutritional, academic and
personal and professional development of
more than 460 student athletes and features a wellness wing for a sports psychologist and dietitians. The facility is home to the
HEERY INTERNATIONAL
Heery creates new athlete-focused facilities, fan-friendly stadiums
The University of Cincinnati opened its 2015
football season with a newly renovated Nippert
Stadium, designed by Heery International.
Bogle Academic Center and houses study,
tutoring and lounge spaces, in addition to a
computer lab and auditorium.
Heery opened the new Marv Kay Stadium, along with the Harold M. and Patricia
M. Korell Athletics Center, at Colorado
School of Mines this fall. The $21 million project combines training facilities within the
stadium’s grandstand with a weight room,
locker room, sports medicine and hydrotherapy spaces.
For the West Virginia Mountaineers, Heery
is creating more usable, fan-friendly spaces
at Milan-Puskar Stadium, focusing on widening concourses and the plaza to allow more
room for kiosks and points of entry to more
easily accommodate alcohol sales.
Heery is in the early design stages for an
end zone renovation at Troy University that
will feature a new team locker room and
coaches’ offices, with the potential for premium seating above. Coastal Carolina University has chosen Heery for an expansion to
its stadium to bring the facility into compliance with its new home, Sun Belt Conference. And, Ballew said, “Heery is in the
midst of a master plan to revamp Wake Forest’s newly acquired arena.”
Heery International, headquartered in
Atlanta, is a full-service architecture, engineering and construction firm and has
designed more than 270 sports facilities
globally.
■
404.946.2016
[email protected]
@HeerySports
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