Regents approve $168M project for new Track stadiums, Lacrosse stadium and training centers
Incredible.
Nice to hear the 3K-seat Lacrosse stadium has finally been announced.
The Athletics South Competition and Performance Project will serve the training and competition needs of nearly two-thirds of the total number of student-athletes. The project will construct approximately 310,000 gross square feet of space that will be the future home for men's and women's track and field, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, and women's rowing.
A performance and team center will provide specialized spaces for each team and shared resources for all teams for strength and conditioning, athletic medicine, a performance lab, meeting space and locker rooms. It also will allow Michigan Athletics to consolidate various team facilities now dispersed across the athletic campus. An indoor rowing tank will be built for the first time. New indoor and outdoor track and field facilities that will have permanent seating for 2,000 and 1,000 spectators, respectively, will allow U-M to again host home track meets as well as regional and national competitions. A 3,000-seat lacrosse stadium will create a home for the University's newest varsity programs, in a sport that is one of the fastest-growing in the nation.
The project, made possible by the purchase of property adjacent to existing U-M facilities, has an estimated cost of $168 million. Funding will be provided entirely by Michigan Athletics donor resources and gifts, including a $100 million gift from Stephen M. Ross. The Regents also approved the architectural firm of TMP Architecture Inc. for design of the project.
Rowing facility
Soccer team center
Lacrosse team center (no stadium photos available yet)
New indoor track stadium
The U-M Indoor Track Building will be demolished along with Ferry Field in summer 2015 (sadly).
The U-M Indoor Track Building will be where a new multi-purpose arena will be. That arena will replace Cliff Keen near the end of the decade and will serve as the home of Michigan Volleyball, Wrestling, Men's Gymnastics, Cheer and Dance.
Meanwhile, Ferry Field is being turned into a parking lot. No, really.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:03 PM ^
You need either a social life, or Brian needs to pay you.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:08 PM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 5:28 PM ^
Wolverine Devottee is a legend. Dude literally spends every waking second on this blog. Not out there crushing beers and causing a ruchis..just beat writing from his room at all times...may not even take a break to slam down a hot pocket when hes hungry. may miss a thread
September 18th, 2014 at 5:53 PM ^
to take over the sports section of the daily.
September 18th, 2014 at 6:09 PM ^
I think he would attend Michigan first.
September 18th, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 8:29 PM ^
miss WD's announcement last night?
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/michigan-vs-texas-home-and-home-announced-2024-2027#comment-2670288
WD is now a man of the world. Seeking and finding pleasures, first Chobani, and now wild and willing women. Lock up your daughters, MGoUsers!
September 18th, 2014 at 9:27 PM ^
I'll take a little credit for that announcement coming out.
/s
In all seriousness I was pretty shocked. How could he have time to make sweet sweet love? I also wonder if he wore one of his 50 pairs of receiver gloves. Whats say you WD?
September 18th, 2014 at 5:04 PM ^
Anyone know an estimated total of how much Michigan has spent since it started renovating all the athletic facilities?! Has to be a shit ton.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:08 PM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 5:09 PM ^
Apparently my math was off.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:08 PM ^
It was actually three shit tons
September 18th, 2014 at 5:12 PM ^
I know it's Steve Ross money, but... I really wonder, how much is it going to cost to maintain an entire campus of stadiums and facilities for sports that have no hope of recouping the investment?
September 18th, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
according to the number I just made up in my head, 18 dollars per year.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:21 PM ^
I was thinking maybe they'd need about $3.50.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:33 PM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 5:48 PM ^
Damn Loch Ness Monster. Know what he says to me? Got tree fitty?
September 18th, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^
I'm sure that money is being invested and if not that's what the football team is for!
September 18th, 2014 at 5:19 PM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 5:11 PM ^
Still a long way to go. This is from my post earlier this year when the scoreboard updates were completed.
| Project(s) | Est. cost | Est. start date |
| Scoreboard replacements | $4M | Complete |
| Lacrosse Stadium/team facilities | $12M | Fall 2014 |
| Strength & Conditioning/Rowing/Soccer | $25M | Spring 2015 |
| Indoor/Outdoor Track Competition facilities | $90M | Spring 2015 |
| Yost Ice Arena Ice Plant Replacement | $3.2M | 2015/2016 |
| Canham Natatorium Renovation | $20M | Spring 2017 |
| New sports arena | $30M | Spring 2017 |
That's not even taking into account what Michigan has already done. Crisler was turned into a new place, Yost was redone, a new Field Hockey STADIUM (w/Blue turf) and team center just opened, the golf course and club house restorations were just announced. Cross Country just opened a new practice course.
Softball opened their new team center this past spring.
I remember adding all the estimated totals of all projects since Yost up a couple years ago and it was over $250M.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:09 PM ^
(blaring "Big Yellow Taxi")
September 18th, 2014 at 5:12 PM ^
How come the interiors look like the correct maize and blue but our uniforms do not? (the helmets are closer this year)
September 18th, 2014 at 5:15 PM ^
David Brandon logic: indoor rowing facility or elite Head Football Coach? Rowing facility.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
we need to start keeping track how many posts down in any new topic that a "change of coach" meme pops up
September 18th, 2014 at 5:45 PM ^
Average posts in all of comments sections containing "change of coach" is a billion. One billion posts.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^
Since when was Brandon underpaying Hoke, Nuss, Mattison etc.
Srsly, wtf?
September 18th, 2014 at 5:28 PM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 5:51 PM ^
for facilities and the coaching staff, the problem is the house brand HC.
September 18th, 2014 at 6:27 PM ^
September 19th, 2014 at 7:06 AM ^
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September 19th, 2014 at 7:18 AM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 5:30 PM ^
Well, I knew about Ferry Field because we spent a week this summer getting conduit runs out of there and rerouted in advance of the area being regraded and paved, so the University was perhaps banking on some of this work happening regardless. Still, it all looks very nice - as WD mentions about, I think there was an article when all this was initially proposed that made it out to be a 7-year, $250 million series of renovations if the whole package were to be approved.
September 18th, 2014 at 7:40 PM ^
still open for joggers and/or anyone that wants to visit those hallowed grounds one more time, before the bulldozers do a number on it?
If so, I plan on taking some time on a Football Saturday for some pictures. I know the place is obsolete, but I sure hope they don't wipe all traces of it off the face of the earth.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:32 PM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^
Uggg.... turning Ferry Field into a parking lot. Idiotic.
September 18th, 2014 at 9:04 PM ^
The modern day Ferry Field is only technically where Fielding Yost coached his Michigan teams, but all it really is now is an awkwardly placed grass field with a track around it with no charm or whiff of history to it.
The additional parking space is much needed and will make going to hockey, baseball and softball games much more convienent.
September 19th, 2014 at 9:35 AM ^
No whiff of history except for the greatest accomplishment in the history of track & field in the United States.
September 19th, 2014 at 12:47 PM ^
The modern day Ferry Field is a completely useful track and field facility, with a huge amount of history - a back straightaway that runs along the IMSB, and Jesse Owens set world records in the 220 yard dash, the 200 meter dash, the 220 yard low hurdles, the 200 meter low hurdles, and the long jump, and tied the world record in the 100 yard dash there.
September 18th, 2014 at 5:55 PM ^
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September 18th, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^
My wife rowed at a different school and the indoor facility is a pretty big thing. They had to row outside in fricking cold temps for several months out of the year and eventually the river they rowed on would get clogged up with ice and they couldn't practice at all. I'm sure the team will still row outside when possible but being able to practice through the winter or in crap weather is a pretty nice thing.
September 18th, 2014 at 6:29 PM ^
He said he had a lady friend or was taking a lady friend to a game. I for one love all the content, much of which COULD be posted from the comforts of said lady friend's bedroom...just saying. Maybe he's doing okay for himself in that area.
EDIT: Damn. This was intended to be a response to the comment about his need for a social life. Turrible placement by me.
September 18th, 2014 at 6:35 PM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 7:06 PM ^
Well, look at the graduate housing facility going up where Blimpy Burger used to be. The guy who donated the money dictated exactly how he wanted the graduate housing to work, the students told the university it wasn't acceptable due to both the layout and anticipated rental costs, and the university took the money to build it anyway.
September 18th, 2014 at 6:47 PM ^
September 18th, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^
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September 18th, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^
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September 18th, 2014 at 7:53 PM ^
Wow, that's a lot of money. Michigan must be crapping gold at this point...but at what cost? At some point, they have to be careful about squeezing the fan/customer out of every dollar in his wallet to pay for these cool, yet expensive renovations.
September 18th, 2014 at 9:19 PM ^
...it would have been reasonable to hire a more design oriented architecture firm. In the sport of architecture, TMP is a two win team playing in the MAC.