Baseball Stadium Help?

[Cubanbull]

the way the Yankees are playing i dont think is the right time to hit him for money

[Papa_Bull]

The BOT conceptually approved the Athletic Land Use Plan, which gives the Athletics Department the go ahead to do internal feasibility analyses and begin fundraising.

I'm pretty certain he'd be one of the first guys we'd call.  

 

[MikeG]

can't leave out the Big Stein.

[Papa_Bull]

Previous article:

Bulls Planning To Upgrade Sports Facilities

By GARY HABER and BRETT McMURPHY The Tampa Tribune  

Published: Jan 12, 2005  

 

 

 

 

TAMPA - When South Florida athletic director Doug Woolard was hired last summer, upgrading and expanding the school's athletic facilities were his top priorities.  

That plan cleared a major hurdle Tuesday when USF's campus development committee endorsed devoting 20 acres on the southeast edge of USF's Tampa campus for use by the athletic department for long-sought sports facilities.  

The facilities would include new stadiums for softball and soccer, a new men's and women's tennis complex, new men's and women's basketball practice facilities, new football practice fields, major renovations to the Sun Dome and a new or renovated Red McEwen baseball field.  

It also would add a multipurpose artificial-turf surface to be utilized by the football and soccer teams preparing for road games on artificial turf.  

USF officials would not speculate on the cost, but similar facility upgrades around the country range between $35 million to $50 million.  

``This draft plan is our first response to the expectation of the Big East that USF will make an enthusiastic push for facilities that will put us on par with other schools in the Big East,`` USF President Judy Genshaft said.  

All of USF's new facilities would be within close proximity to the school's eight-month- old $15 million athletic facility.  

Woolard said the improvements are needed for USF to recruit top athletes and increase attendance when the school joins the Big East this summer. Bolstering his case with slides showing state-of- the-art sports facilities at other Big East schools, Woolard told committee members that Big East athletic directors expect USF to improve its facilities.  

``Quite frankly, there are some high school facilities that are better than our soccer field,'' he said.  

USF's baseball and softball complexes also are among the nation's worst in Division I.  

``Obviously, being the last of the state's big universities to venture into the facility upgrading program, we can get on par with the best facilities out there,'' USF softball coach Ken Eriksen said. ``If we're going to do it, let's do it right.''  

The completion of a new softball complex and a new or renovated baseball stadium would allow USF the opportunity to host NCAA regional tournaments.  

``When you're in that position,'' Eriksen said. ``You're running with the big dogs.''  

USF baseball coach Eddie Cardieri, who has guided the Bulls to nine NCAA Tournaments despite having to recruit players to dilapidated Red McEwen Stadium, was excited about the news.  

``We're starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel,'' Cardieri said. ``So many times recruiting comes down to facilities and it will give us a more legitimate shot with every [recruit] we get involved in.  

``This is a very serious run. I'm pretty psyched. It's a long process, but at least you can see it taking shape.''  

The most frustrating aspect, Cardieri said, is when the Bulls play away games.  

``Our kids go on the road and play in these great places and we have what we have,'' he said. ``I'm most excited for the players to have the chance to play in a beautiful place and not just when they go on the road.''  

Woolard and Lee Roy Selmon, president of the USF Foundation's Partnership for Athletics and the school's chief athletic fundraiser, said they will embark on a fundraising campaign to pay for the improvements.  

USF officials declined to set a timetable or identify the order in which the facilities would be built. That will depend largely on which projects donors are most interested in funding, Selmon said.  

``We see them all as priorities,'' said Selmon, USF's former athletic director. ``It's tough to rank them.''  

USF's board of trustees must approve the plan next month before the land can be used by the athletic department.  

The land, near Fowler Avenue, was originally set aside for fraternity and sorority housing, but the school instead built a Greek Village closer to the Fletcher Avenue side of campus. More recently, school officials had reserved the land for additional student housing. Athletic department officials said that would be impractical since the site is distant from other campus dormitories.

Big East Improvements

With South Florida's move to the Big East next season, the school has begun the process of adding several new athletic facilities and upgrades to current facilities:  

PROJECTED COST: $35 million to $50 million  

TIMETABLE: It still must get approved by the school's board of trustees next month. Then several factors, including feasibility studies and analysis, fundraising, etc., would determine when construction could begin, USF officials said.  

IMPROVEMENTS: New stadiums for softball and soccer, a new tennis complex, new men's and women's basketball practice facilities, three new football practice fields, major renovations to the Sun Dome, a new or renovated Red McEwen baseball stadium, a multipurpose artificial turf surface shared by athletics and campus recreation surrounded by a 400-meter track and improved campus recreation facilities.  

Brett McMurphy  

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGBF676YU3E.html

[MatRatUSF]

I think George has more important things to worry about now then giving money to USF ... haha Go D-Rays!