The world of college sports facility building is a high stakes arms race, but by comparative standards the University of Florida has been Switzerland for a good while.
While the other Southeastern Conference schools outfitted their complexes with space-age looks, waterfalls and indoor practice facilities, Florida did not.
But after citing planning, lack of funds, lack of need and lack of space for dragging feet on specifically, UF became the final SEC school to build an indoor practice facility.
"The indoor practice facility is being started now as we speak. If you go out there you can see them do some work. We still have some meetings with our board, our UAA board, to figure out and finalize the financing of that. But we’re committed to that," athletics director Jeremy Foley said.
"That will be ready by next September. We will do some work this summer in the dorms. It’s not our dorms. It’s university dorms, we have to work with the university."
By the end of April, more than $100 million dollars in projects will have broken ground in a two block space on the north east portion of campus, Foley said.
At breakneck speed, the Florida football program will get its crown recruiting jewel in an indoor practice facility to be completed in September, and once the basketball season ends, the $50 million Stephen C. O’Connell Center will begin renovations.
UF will also begin renovating its athlete’s academic services building in the coming months as well.
Many believe a fast track of the indoor practice facility has something to do with an insistence by new coach Jim McElwain on a revamp of the facilities.
Foley refutes that notion.
"It’s not like Mac has been banging on tables," Foley said. "Mac has been very good to work with, easy to work with and he’s conveyed his vision as he did during the interview process. You know I think when Mac made the comment about rebuilding infrastructure I think everybody automatically assumed that relates to facilities. Facilities is part of it, but Mac is talking about the personnel department, talking about staffing, quality control people, his staff, the weight room."
The school has raised $60 million according to Foley for the O’Connell Center renovation, above the initially announced target funding.
But that isn’t the only improvement coming to UF soon.
Foley says a new weight room is coming for the basketball facility. He also alluded to a revamp of the football locker room as well, after touring other schools in the conference.
With all the money flying around, debt will be incurred by the school. Just how much debt is what Foley hopes to keep to a minimum, but when buildings have to go up in order to keep up with the Joneses that may not be an option.
"We’re going to stay under $100 million in debt. We have to raise the money," Foley said.
"We’re confident that we can. But we have not taken on a significant amount of debt because we have too many unknowns in our future as it relates to finances and running this program, lawsuits, all those type of things. We have to figure that stuff out."
Follow Richard Johnson on Twitter @RagjUF
Jeremy Foley addresses reporters during a press conference Monday.
