BREAKING NEWS!!

[Brad]

Funding Source:

Philanthropic gifts, business partnerships, and other institutional and non-institutional funds

permitted for such use.

[Brad]

Congrats on the SCOOP Brad...

Well, I can't say it was a scoop, afterall, sometimes you just get lucky.  But  thanks HowieP.

It's been brought to my attention that the image I created from the .pdf seems to have become popular at the Rivals site.  Glad to see we're able to contribute to Bulls fans everywhere and help disperse the good news.  

It's another great day to be a Bull!  Celebrate this one Bulls Fans!  We are continuing the path to the top.

[Papa_Bull]

Brett just posted his story on it:

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

[achiever1911]

Doug is the man!

[Papa_Bull]

St Pete Times story by Greg this morning:

Colleges

USF planning home improvements

USF officials say the school must upgrade all of its athletic facilities to compete with Big East programs.

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer

Published January 12, 2005

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TAMPA - Just six months after USF moved into its $18-million athletic facility, athletic director Doug Woolard outlined a vision for the Bulls' future Tuesday, one that includes new and upgraded stadiums and fields for nearly every sport.

Just how much it will cost and how soon it could become reality remain to be seen. But the Bulls have taken a crucial step toward making their teams more competitive with their future opponents in the Big East.

"When I met with the other Big East presidents, I made a promise that all our facilities would be comparable to what you see in the Big East," USF president Judy Genshaft said. "This is only the first step, but it will allow us to bring what we have up to that level."

Woolard and former athletic director Lee Roy Selmon unveiled an ambitious conceptual rendering of USF's future, one they will explore with feasibility studies. As important, will be a massive fund-raising effort.

The recommended upgrades include:

Renovations to the Sun Dome, including construction of a practice facility for men's and women's basketball on the north end of the existing arena.

New stadiums for softball and tennis, to be built on the southeast corner of campus, near the intersection of Fowler and 50th Street.

Renovations to Red McEwen Field, home to USF baseball since 1966, including covered seating.

A new soccer stadium and practice field.

Three new practice fields for the football team, all closer to the main athletic facility.

A new sports multi-purpose field, with an artificial surface and 400-meter track to be jointly used by USF athletics and the student recreation department.

The first hurdle was cleared Tuesday when Woolard and Selmon presented a proposal to the university's campus development committee, which unanimously approved the reallotment of about 20 acres of the north Tampa campus for new athletic facilities. Most of the land now is vacant.

USF has not begun to determine a timetable, though the new arenas likely wouldn't be in place before the 2006-07 school year. Asked for a price tag, neither Woolard nor Selmon would suggest a figure, though Woolard said the combined projects would "significantly" exceed the $18-million raised for the intercollegiate athletic center, which opened in June. The cost of the facility upgrades will not require any taxpayer contributions and will be the focus of fundraising from USF boosters and alumni.

"It'll be a hefty number," said Selmon, now president of the USF Foundation Partnership for Athletics. "We know we have a big, exciting challenge ahead of us."

The difference, Woolard pointed out, is that these upgrades will be something Bulls fans can appreciate, improving the experience of attending USF events.

"It's going to be more than just putting a roof on something," said Woolard, who told the committee that USF must improve its facilities to be able to compete in recruiting with Big East opponents.

USF's baseball stadium has no shade and its dugouts flood after heavy rains. The soccer fields aren't regulation size. The tennis stadium has no grandstand or parking. Woolard said there are high schools with better softball facilities. "In the six months I've been here, it's become increasingly apparent to me that this is a very important piece for us as we move into the Big East," Woolard said. "The best thing to come out of this today is that the university community is excited about this."

In addition to allocating about 20 acres for athletic use, the committee approved a swap of land parcels zoned for athletic and recreational use, allowing both to have a relatively contiguous area. "This is very exciting for USF," Michael Rierson, USF's vice president for the division of university advancement, told the committee. "This is as big as it gets."

[Last modified January 12, 2005, 00:31:11]

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/12/Sports/USF_planning_home_imp.shtml

[Apis Bull]

Do we have any funding in place for any of this?

[USF72]

Just an observation from regarding Pizzo & USF Charter school.  The road, that parents drop off the kids, currently goes all the way to 50th street, but according to the diagram, the east side of Pizzo's property is replaced by the tennis courts.  Are we going to have to drive through the tennis courts to reach 50th street?  As a Bulls fan, this is exciting news, but as a parent, the idea of cutting Pizzo's property in half isn't.  I may be missing something, but from what I see from this diagram, I don't believe so.

[Eric_Soncrant]

USF72 and all:

No worries on the road that separates the schools.  The tennis courts will go up to that road but will not replace it.  So you will actually drive by it.  The "road to nowhere" as I have heard it referred to which right now comes out by the baseball field and connects to the road that splits the two schools will not connect anymore.  It will feed into a parking lot by the tennis courts.

I'll stop by as often as possible today to answer any more questions such as this.  Thanks everyone.  Hope you are ready for some more exciting times in Bulls Country!

Eric

[Brad]

As I posted earlier (then deleted, thinking the need for the post had subsided), please stay on topic here.  All off topic posts have been removed and will find their way to the Mad Cow Lounge (My apologies to the Mad Cow patrons).

[Bullpride08]

damnit... all the good stuff comes after im gonna graduate... first the brand new business building and now this!  I cant really tell how campus rec is expanding, but any expansion is desperately needed, its nearly impossible to workout if you dont make it in there by 330

Yeah but it's more gratifying when you can help on the fundraising and donation side to see these projects come to life, and realize our goals.  

Also, a new season ticket holder I presume!