Memphis Tiger basketball coach Josh Pastner said he expects the new men’s basketball practice and training facility – when completed – to be the best in the country.
“Not second or one of the best but the absolute best,” Pastner said. “You have to give Tom Bowen and Dr. Rudd so much credit for spearheading this, all the people that were behind it. We’re just very thankful for everybody to do that.”
The University of Memphis announced Wednesday that it has raised 60 percent of the funds needed for the new men’s basketball and football practice facilities. The University expects groundbreaking, on the new indoor 76,000-square foot football facility next month and the 58,000-square foot basketball facility, later this fall. Both facilities are expected to be mostly complete by the 2017-18 school year.
“This is an historic day going forward to continue to build excellence in what we provide our student-athletes in practice facilities, because we have two great competitive faces,” Bowen said. “We compete at the FedExForum, one of the top basketball facilities in the country. The Liberty Bowl is one of the iconic stadiums of all time, so this allows to stay in step with Power Five schools.”
More than $24 million of the $40 million dollar goal has been raised, according to the University. All raised through private donations.
Rudd said he is confident they will raise the remaining $16 million in the coming months.
The football facility will include an indoor practice field, coaches’ offices as well as enhanced spaces for student-athlete academic, nutrition and athletic development. In addition to the academic support center, the men’s basketball facility will feature encompass offices, locker rooms, a weight room, training facilities, a new practice facility and Traditions Hall, a 5,000-square foot entryway showcasing Memphis Tiger basketball history.
Rudd discussed the importance of Memphis keeping up with the Power Five conferences: the Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big Ten, Pacific 12 and Southeastern.
“We are committed to competing at the highest level, and that means that we are committed to competing at the Power Five level,” Rudd said. “In order to do that, we need to recruit at that level, compete and we need to be able to win at that level. These are investments to do it. And I would argue these investments parallel other activity at the University that show we’re committed to being at the highest level across the board.”
Former U of M interim president Brad Martin announced the start of the capital campaign in October 2013. In December 2013, Martin and Bowen reported a $10 million gift –the leading gift in the capital campaign – from alumni Bill, former Tiger basketball point guard, and Nancy Laurie.
The $40 million investment in the new football and basketball facilities is part of a nearly $300 million dollar investment in the University of Memphis. Centennial Hall, a new $52 million residence hall, opens in January. A $62 million new student recreational center and land bridge projects to break ground next year, a new $60 million Community Health Building, which they plan to cut the ribbon on shortly, a $40 million music performance building for which funds are currently being raised and a new bioscience research facility, which they hope to start fundraising in the next year or two, according to Rudd.
“The idea is that we’ve got to be competitive in terms of student recruitment, we’ve got to be able to grow,” Rudd said. “If we can’t offer facilities that attract, we won’t be able to grow. We have to keep pace for students, facility and for staff. This positions us to do that. It positions us to do well in a remarkably competitive climate.”
Long term, he said he believes the University can grow its student population by 20 percent, on the conservative side, in the next 8-10 years.
“That’s a reasonable, manageable growth in terms of current infrastructure and where we are,” Rudd said.
