Facility occupancy date next couple of weeks

[Papa_Bull]

Leavitt Excited About New Facility

GREGG BECNEL

Published: Apr 29, 2004

TAMPA - South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt and his staff won't have to work in trailers much longer.

USF's $18.2 million jewel - a state-of-the-art 104,000-square-foot athletic facility - is nearing completion.

``It's exciting. This is another step for us,'' Leavitt said. ``We certainly appreciate the great commitment shown by the community. Without their support, this never happens.

``To go from where we were eight years ago to where we are now, it's like warp speed. We're a grass-roots operation, and to have a facility of this magnitude is unprecedented.''

The facility, located north of the Sun Dome, will house the athletics administration, football administration, locker rooms, Olympic sports coaching offices, an academic enrichment center, a 2,200-square-foot Hall of Fame, a 1,900-square-foot ``Big East'' conference room and a 10,000- square-foot strength and conditioning center.

R.R. Simmons Construction Co. was the designer and builder, and chairman Randy Simmons said the move-in process has begun.

``It's still a work in progress, but we're at the turning-it-over phase right now,'' he said. ``All the desks are being moved in and things like that. The occupancy date should be in the next couple of weeks.''

The construction cost was $13.2 million, financed by a bond issue backed by the university beverage contract and student athletic fees. The furnishings and equipment cost was $5 million, raised through private fund raising.

NO THANKS: Pittsburgh declined an offer from ESPN to move its season opener with USF from Sept. 4 to Labor Day, Sept. 6. The game originally was scheduled for Sept. 25, but USF agreed to move it up three weeks because Pittsburgh needed that date to fill out its schedule.

Panthers Athletic Director Jeff Long said Pitt considered the proposal but ultimately decided against it.

ESPN is still looking to move the season finale against Memphis from Nov. 27 to Friday, Nov. 26. A decision should be reached by the start of the season, USF associate athletic director Tom Veit said.

As USF learned last season, playing in a conference means juggling schedules to accommodate television.

``People have to understand the guarantee of playing all our home games on Saturday night is gone. We're the victim of our own success,'' Veit said. ``And when we go into the Big East in 2005, television becomes a much bigger player [in determining the schedule].''

DOING THEIR HOMEWORK: LB Maurice Jones, WRs Huey Whittaker and Elgin Hicks and RB DeJuan Green did a fine job recognizing which NFL team offered them the best opportunity as free agents.

``Starting as early as the sixth round, teams will start calling and recruiting potential free agents,'' said Jones' agent, Chad Wiestling. ``A lot of teams were trying to land Maurice, but we did our research and evaluated the draft and each team's roster, and felt like the best opportunity for him was in Green Bay.''

Enhancing Jones' value is the fact the Packers didn't draft a linebacker this year, Wiestling said.

The three other Bulls are in similar situations. Pittsburgh (Whittaker) and Indianapolis (Hicks) didn't draft a receiver, and Oakland (Green) didn't select a running back.

ODDS AND ENDS: During last week's Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, Jimmy Baxter placed first in the high jump with a height of 7 feet, 1 inch. ... Senior baseball player Joey Livingston holds the USF record for career games pitched (130). The 6-foot-3, 204-pound reliever from Wharton also holds the team record for career saves with 29. The Bulls host Charlotte for three games this weekend.

USF SHORT TAKES: The baseball team was shut out for the first time in 246 games with a 1-0 loss to Memphis on Sunday. The last time the Bulls failed to score was in a 3-0 loss to UCF on April 11, 2000.

Senior softball player Holly Groves, from Seminole High, leads the nation in RBIs with 72. Groves, a 5-foot-9 outfielder, is 14th in the country in batting average (.441) and 18th in slugging percentage (.768).

[Velcro]

Another possible ESPN game... keep em coming!

[BULLheaded]

It is pretty amazing how fast they are getting this facility completed. I thought the estimated date was the begining of next year!

[bulls96go]

gotta luv JL statement about community support

[Ricky the Bull]

There was a great picture of the facility in the print edition of this article.  It's really looking nice!

[bullwark]

Will also make recruiting visits better, a top notch facility, top notch stadium, top notch University and coach-a winning combination!

[Papa_Bull]

There was a great picture of the facility in the print edition of this article.  It's really looking nice!

Yes it sure is.

That picture is pretty much the same as this earlier photo, but shot from a closer distance and shows a construction crew preparing to do work on the pavement.

[sdgukhsdgl]

pavement on the west side (parking) is done already... not sure which part you are talking about and I did not see the pic so I cant really tell you what part that is...  I go by there every day for school or the gym and they have had the entry messed up the past week or so finishing up the parking/turning lanes... I believe the only paving would be in front of the building (South side) because I do not believe it has been finished yet...

[Papa_Bull]

Looks like they are working in front of the building and off to the side that adjoins the fields.

[sdgukhsdgl]

i dont know how familair you are with the building but there isnt much to do between the east side of the building and the IM fields very little room, ill be heading up there shortly so ill try to figure out what is going on...