Athletic Campus Construction

Submitted by 931 S State on

Construction began a few weeks ago on the site of what is (or was previously) the Red Lot on the west side of State St just south of the Stadium Blvd bridge.  Anyone privy to what facility is being built here?  Certainly this was a plan that had been put in effect prior to the dismissal of DB. 

growler4

March 2nd, 2015 at 4:34 PM ^

I never could get my head around the anger and hate on this blog and board concerning the momentary appearance of the noodle that day at the Stadium.

Anyone been to Yost for a hockey game? There are advertisements plastered all over the boards and scoreboard, just like at any other arena. 

Does that seriously detract from anyones' enjoyment of the hockey game?

Evil Empire

March 2nd, 2015 at 2:12 PM ^

If you did well enough running your city, the city council would approve erecting a statue of you, which you could place anywhere at no cost.  Selecting it would reveal its year of origin and "number of pigeons perched." 

LSAClassOf2000

March 2nd, 2015 at 1:38 PM ^

That is the new Athletic Operations Center, I believe. We actually did our conduit runs to feed it just last week despite the cold. If anyone in that area experienced a short shutdown sometime in the middle of the week, that was related work. It is supposed to be open this summer, from what I understand. 

cutter

March 2nd, 2015 at 6:44 PM ^

When David Brandon presented the FY 2015 budget last June, he outlined twelve construction projects for an estimated cost of $346.5M.  

See http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/06/12_constructi…

Projects planned for 2015 include:

  • $15 million Golf Course Clubhouse/Hole #1/Stream Renovation

  • $87.7 million South Athletic Performance and Team Centers

  • $50 million Indoor Track

  • $13.5 million Stephen M. Ross Academic Center Expansion

The four projects planned for 2018 are:

  • $50 million Canham Natatorium Expansion - Aquatics Center

  • $6 million Golf Course Restoration

  • $3 million Athletic Campus Walk of Champions

  • $18.3 million Outdoor Lacrosse Stadium

  • $12 million Outdoor Track & Field Stadium

There are no projects planned for 2016. The two in 2017 include:

  • $19 million Athletic Administration Building

  • $54 million Multi-Sport Competition Venue

The only project planned for 2019 is:

  • $18 million Cliff Keen Athletic Performance Center

Another $14.3 million in construction – for the Donald R. Shepherd Softball Center and the Schembechler Hall Renovation Project – wrapped up earlier this year, while two projects totaling $19.5 million – the Field Hockey Renovation Project and the Operations Center – are expected to be finish by July 2015.

Construction is slated to start in 2015 on the $5.8 million Yost Arena ice plant replacement.

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The regents approved a $168M project called the South Athletic Performance and Team Center last August.   It appears this center combines a number of the projects listed above into one facility.  See http://www.mgoblue.com/genrel/091814aaa.html

What you guys are going to hate is this is essentially Brandon's vision for the U-M Athletic Department.  He always said that he wanted to have the non-revenue sports enjoy the same support as the more high profile athletic events, i.e., football, men's basketball and ice hockey.   

Well, now it's happening and part of the reason why appears to be due to his fund raising ability and because he reorganized the AD in order to better contact and interface with potential donors for the department.

While Bacon's new book is on the football program and Brian will never say Brandon did anything good, perhaps people will someday recognize that a significant part of DB's legacy at UM will be displayed in mortar and concrete.  Hackett will have to pick up the baton from Brandon on the "other" part of the Athletic Director's responsibilities to Michigan's student athletes to see it through.  It'll be interesting to see if this plan stays as envisioned and on the timeline Brandon laid out eight months ago.

DetroitBlue

March 3rd, 2015 at 12:13 AM ^

I have a hard time believing that Brandon actually had an appreciable effect on the increased revenues. The luxury boxes aren't his doing, and neither are the increased BTN/TV revenues. That money was coming in regardless of who was charge.
As I see it, his only positive contributions were his willingness to pay market rates for assistants and his facilities upgrades.



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Barca Wolverine

March 3rd, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^

But you have no idea what you're talking about. Brandon added a lot of people to the development side of the administration, the wing that secured hundreds of millions of dollars from donors ( such as Stephen M. Ross) to fund his vision. I've worked with non-revenue generating sports and their conditions are laughable. have you seen where the NCAA champion men's gymnastics program practices? The nasty-ass colosseum. It was necessary to upgrade facilities to compete for recruits. They needed this building because they didn't build laundry and admin facilities up where tennis and soccer are housed.

DetroitBlue

March 3rd, 2015 at 12:37 PM ^

I don't really see your point. I said DB should get credit for the non-revenue facilities upgrades; I never disputed that they were necessary. As far as the Ross donation, consider me skeptical if your argument is that without DB, he wouldn't have made that gift. Maybe not right then, but he was going to give a big chunk of money to the AD at some point

JOHNNAVARREISMYHERO

March 3rd, 2015 at 4:55 AM ^

Brandon botched the hire and thing that mattered the most - Head Coach of the Michigan Football Team.

That is his legacy whether he likes it or not.  

Sure he upgraded facilities and improved things for the non-revenue sports, but he screwed up the team that everyone is focused on - football.

He had to get the football hire right for anything else to matter and he didn't get the job done.