ISU seeks final board approval for Sports Performance Center

The following is a press release courtesy of Iowa State Athletic Communications.

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State Athletics Department will seek final approval from the Board of Regents, Thursday, Nov. 15, to begin construction of a $90 million, 110,000-square foot, sports performance center and a spectacular new lighted plaza outside the north entrance to MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium.

“When we initiated this project, our vision was to provide our student-athletes state of the art facilities that would allow all 450 of them to study, train and compete with the best student-athletes in the nation,” Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said. “I could not be more excited and pleased that multiple donors have stepped up to provide the necessary resources to make our vision a reality.”

Pollard noted that in April the BOR gave Iowa State the ability to continue planning the project while developing a sound financial model.

“The support from our donors has been outstanding,” Pollard said. “We’ve raised more than $40 million in private support and fully expect to raise additional funding once the project is officially approved by the Board of Regents.”

The architectural renderings showcase a spectacular four-story facility connected to the Bergstrom Football Complex that will include a 20,000-square foot academic and student services center, dining facilities and a sports nutrition center for all student-athletes.

The football team’s facility will be expanded and renovated – including nearly 20,000-square feet of additional locker room, team lounges, additional offices and gathering spaces – to meet its program needs. In addition, a new Olympic sports center will be located in the new facility that will include locker rooms, batting cages, weight room and sports medicine facilities for soccer, softball, tennis and golf.

Finally, a dramatic lighted plaza and gathering space will be developed north of the stadium that will transform the entrances to the Jacobson Athletic Complex, the sports performance center and MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium.

“The new lighted plaza – located on the north end of the stadium – will provide a sensational social space for fans as well as a Cyclone-themed entrance to our facilities,” Pollard said.

The project is expected to break ground in June, 2019 and will take approximately two years to fully complete.