Dec. 6, 2010

Quest For Excellence

RUSTON - Louisiana Tech received good news Friday as the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System gave the University's Foundation and Athletic Department approval to move forward with the plans for the development of a new athletic complex.

Louisiana Tech will now proceed with the next phase of the project which will include soliciting proposals from design professionals to develop plans and specifications for construction of the new facility which will be built in the south end zone of Joe Aillet Stadium.

Tech Athletics Director Bruce Van De Velde said that sufficient private funds have been raised in order to progress to the next phase of the project.

University officials originally announced the 20 million dollar capital campaign titled the "Quest for Excellence" back in late June during a press conference in the Charles Wyly Athletic Complex.

The new multipurpose facility will benefit every student-athlete at Louisiana Tech University as it will include a new state-of-the-art sports medicine facility, a new strength and conditioning complex and a new academic center.

Louisiana Tech already ranks among the state and conference leaders in student-athlete graduation rate and in Academic Progress Report rate, and the new academic center will further enhance and emphasize the University's stance on the classroom.

Additionally, the facility will include new coaches' offices and locker rooms for football, baseball, soccer, tennis, softball, golf and track and field. It will house a new administrative suite with offices and meeting areas for the University's athletic administrative staff, including athletics director, media relations, external affairs and business office.

The new facility will also include new meeting rooms, a new auditorium that can be used for large classroom teaching on campus and team and department meetings, a Hall of Fame memorabilia area, a video room with state-of-the-art video capabilities, equipment room and a large premium seating club that will sit high above the south end zone.

Steve Davison, who is serving as the chair of the Leadership Team for the project which also includes Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw and Community Trust Bank CEO Drake Mills, announced a number of private leadership gifts totaling more than $9 million as the entire project will be funded by private money.

Since Louisiana Tech joined the WAC in 2001, its athletic programs have captured 25 team championships and dozens of individual titles.

The process began last fall when the University contracted with renowned sports architectural firm Populous (www.populous.com) to develop a master facility plan. As part of the partnership, Populous provided conceptual design and estimates regarding the new facility design, which focused on the needs of University students, student-athletes, fans and athletic staff.

Populous is a global design firm, which recently completed a buyout and separation from HOK Group of St. Louis, Mo., that specializes in comprehensive design services, including sports architecture. The firm has created some of the most recognizable professional sports venues in the country, including Yankee Stadium, Busch Stadium, AT&T Park, Pepsi Center, PNC Park, PETCO Park, Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Reliant Stadium.

The company has also built a reputation in the collegiate world, partnering with universities such as Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Minnesota and Washington on new athletic facilities.

Although no definitive timetable has been set for the entire project, University officials say they hope to have adequate private support secured within the next 24 months.

The building will be the largest athletic facility project on the Tech campus since the construction of the Thomas Assembly Center in the late 1970s and early '80s. The 180,000-plus square-foot facility cost $15.5 million and has been home to the Bulldog and Lady Techster basketball teams and Lady Techster volleyball team since it opened in the fall of 1982.

Tech fans can view the renderings of the new facility, read more about the project and support the project through an investment gift by logging onto www.latechsports.com.