ADRIAN COLLEGE TO GET ON-CAMPUS MULTISPORT PERFORMANCE STADIUM
Nov 02, 2005
Press Release posted by Adrian
ADRIAN COLLEGE TO GET ON-CAMPUS MULTISPORT PERFORMANCE STADIUM
Trustees approve major building project; More AC teams to play on campus soon
When junior Taz Wallace first visited Adrian, he remembers when he found out the College didn't have its own football field.
“I was pretty surprised; it wasn't what I expected at the college level,” he said.
Wallace chose Adrian anyway, because he liked the people and the winning program.
These days the All-American middle linebacker doesn't complain before home games, when he and his teammates load onto a bus to head across town to the field. The sign outside reads “Maple Stadium,” named for the high school team that also plays there.
“Nothing can stop us from playing, but it would be great to have our own stadium,” Wallace said.
His wish is about to come true. At their meeting last weekend, the Adrian College Board of Trustees approved a $6.5 million project to construct a multisport performance stadium and a new track. The project is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2006.
“This marks the beginning of great things for Adrian College,” said President Jeffrey Docking. “These changes will put us in stride with the ever-increasing pace of higher education, and will provide our students with an excellence of experience that they can expect from Adrian College.”
The stadium will seat at least 2,500 fans. Features will include state-of-the-art synthetic turf, stadium lighting, a fully-wired press box, and an endzone section of student seating. The design of the field may make the addition of new athletic programs possible in the future.
There will be an Alumni Picnic Pavilion at one end of the field. In addition, plans include a dome that will be inflated at the conclusion of the fall sports season that will cover half the field. It will be heated and will nearly double Adrian's indoor winter athletic space.
The track will be constructed simultaneously, and will be completely separate from the stadium. The all-weather, eight-lane facility will include all required amenities for post-season play, including a steeplechase pit and all jumping and throwing areas.
“It won't be long until our teams will be playing at home, at their own facilities,” said Rick Creehan, executive vice president and head of the project. “Imagine having these events right on campus, where it's a short walk for students to cheer on their classmates and have a great time.”
The football team will be playing on campus for the first time since the late 1950s.
Funds for the project will be raised through the Adrian College Development Office. Both the stadium and the track are golden opportunities for naming rights.
Architectural services will be provided by Hastings & Chivetta, an industry leader in higher education facilities. The firm designed the Merillat Sport & Fitness Center on campus. Construction management will be provided by the Douglas Company.
The project is a component of the first of two phases being initiated by President Docking, who became president in July. Renaissance I will focus on athletic facilities, residence halls, and extracurricular life. Renaissance II will focus on academics.
It is anticipated that the new track and stadium will boost the campus atmosphere and school spirit, and will help the College enroll more student athletes. Taz Wallace — who, incidentally, is just the kind of quality person and student leader that President Docking says Adrian likes to have — thinks it will work.
“It would be great to have more students out to support us, and that would happen if we were right on campus,” he said. “And I think it will improve the kinds of students we can get.”
Trustees approve major building project; More AC teams to play on campus soon
When junior Taz Wallace first visited Adrian, he remembers when he found out the College didn't have its own football field.
“I was pretty surprised; it wasn't what I expected at the college level,” he said.
Wallace chose Adrian anyway, because he liked the people and the winning program.
These days the All-American middle linebacker doesn't complain before home games, when he and his teammates load onto a bus to head across town to the field. The sign outside reads “Maple Stadium,” named for the high school team that also plays there.
“Nothing can stop us from playing, but it would be great to have our own stadium,” Wallace said.
His wish is about to come true. At their meeting last weekend, the Adrian College Board of Trustees approved a $6.5 million project to construct a multisport performance stadium and a new track. The project is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2006.
“This marks the beginning of great things for Adrian College,” said President Jeffrey Docking. “These changes will put us in stride with the ever-increasing pace of higher education, and will provide our students with an excellence of experience that they can expect from Adrian College.”
The stadium will seat at least 2,500 fans. Features will include state-of-the-art synthetic turf, stadium lighting, a fully-wired press box, and an endzone section of student seating. The design of the field may make the addition of new athletic programs possible in the future.
There will be an Alumni Picnic Pavilion at one end of the field. In addition, plans include a dome that will be inflated at the conclusion of the fall sports season that will cover half the field. It will be heated and will nearly double Adrian's indoor winter athletic space.
The track will be constructed simultaneously, and will be completely separate from the stadium. The all-weather, eight-lane facility will include all required amenities for post-season play, including a steeplechase pit and all jumping and throwing areas.
“It won't be long until our teams will be playing at home, at their own facilities,” said Rick Creehan, executive vice president and head of the project. “Imagine having these events right on campus, where it's a short walk for students to cheer on their classmates and have a great time.”
The football team will be playing on campus for the first time since the late 1950s.
Funds for the project will be raised through the Adrian College Development Office. Both the stadium and the track are golden opportunities for naming rights.
Architectural services will be provided by Hastings & Chivetta, an industry leader in higher education facilities. The firm designed the Merillat Sport & Fitness Center on campus. Construction management will be provided by the Douglas Company.
The project is a component of the first of two phases being initiated by President Docking, who became president in July. Renaissance I will focus on athletic facilities, residence halls, and extracurricular life. Renaissance II will focus on academics.
It is anticipated that the new track and stadium will boost the campus atmosphere and school spirit, and will help the College enroll more student athletes. Taz Wallace — who, incidentally, is just the kind of quality person and student leader that President Docking says Adrian likes to have — thinks it will work.
“It would be great to have more students out to support us, and that would happen if we were right on campus,” he said. “And I think it will improve the kinds of students we can get.”