Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Board of Regents Approves Championship Building Plan Phase I
12/15/2017 4:03:00 PM | Football, General
Student-athlete health and wellness to be the focus during the project's construction
Purchase a Championship Brick.
Read the University Release.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University Department of Athletics received approval for Phase I of the Championship Building Plan from the EMU Board of Regents Friday, Dec. 15. The new construction project for sports medicine and training facilities provides a 60,000 square foot structure that will house the sports medicine, performance and equipment operations areas. Additionally, the facility will house locker rooms, coaches' offices, and meeting spaces for the football team, while also including a new video board inside Rynearson Stadium.
"We are a piece of a larger University campaign that will forever transform EMU," said Scott Wetherbee, Vice President and Director of Athletics at EMU. "This new sports medicine and performance training facility will consolidate department infrastructure, and help provide a safe, effective environment with the highest levels of care for our students, while helping EMU more closely align with its peers in the Mid-American Conference."
The athletics component was just one of three major facility improvements approved by the Regents at their December meeting in the areas of academics, student life and athletics. A total investment of $76 million was authorized with $40 million set for the renovation and expansion of Sill Hall and $16 million for an upgrade to the Rec/IM facility.
The sports medicine and performance training facility is Phase I of the Championship Building Plan and will be heavily supported by fundraising efforts. Those efforts have resulted in substantial commitments to the project, and additional gifts are expected. The estimated cost of phase I of the project is $20 million. A timeline for the project has not been finalized, however, construction is expected to begin in January of 2018.
"These three projects constitute a powerful step forward in terms of improving our academic, recreational, and training facilities for our students, faculty, staff and varsity athletes," said EMU President James Smith. "I'm excited to think of how our students will benefit from the variety of major University enhancements approved today."
The capital investment will provide modern sports medicine and performance training services for the University's approximately 550 student-athletes, while consolidating athletics personnel that are currently divided among the University's athletics and central campuses.
The structure will be located near the northwest corner of Rynearson Stadium, and is the first major athletics facility enhancement designed to service nearly every one of EMU's 21 varsity teams since the Convocation Center was completed in 1998.
The new video board will provide expanded marketing and advertising opportunities, generating additional revenue. The current video board at Rynearson Stadium was installed in August of 2009 and was a retrofit into the existing structure that was installed during a stadium renovation project in 1991-92.
EMU alumni, fans, and supporters of the Championship Building Plan still have a special opportunity to join in the project. Personalized bricks are available with multiple sizes and two different logo options offered. The brick campaign will provide a permanent place for people to share their story, connection, and appreciation for EMU, while contributing to the realization of the Championship Building Plan.
Brick purchases reflect support of the vision of the Championship Building Plan, advancing EMU Athletics and transforming experiences at Eastern Michigan. The commemorative bricks serve as perfect gifts, dedications and celebrations of all those who are or have been Green and White. At the completion of the project, the bricks will be installed. To design your brick, please visit EMUChampionshipBricks.com.
In approving the projects, the Regents authorized spending in addition to the capital budget approved by the Board on Feb. 7, 2017, for the 2017-18 fiscal year. Funding for these three projects will include fundraising, University resources and future University borrowing, and, in the case of Sill Hall, might also include state capital outlay funding, similar to that which helped fund recent major improvements in the Pray Harrold Building and Strong Hall.
About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.
About Eastern Michigan University Athletics
Eastern Michigan University has been a member of the Mid-American Conference since 1971 and has been among the league's most successful members. The Division I program boasts 141 MAC team championships, the most of any team in the league during that span. EMU's varsity intercollegiate program features 21 different sports, nine men's teams and 12 women's teams, the program employs more than 70 full-time staff, and supports more than 550 student-athletes. Eastern Michigan, which has had a representative at every summer Olympics since 1960, has won 15 team national championships and 54 individual national titles since 1932.
Read the University Release.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University Department of Athletics received approval for Phase I of the Championship Building Plan from the EMU Board of Regents Friday, Dec. 15. The new construction project for sports medicine and training facilities provides a 60,000 square foot structure that will house the sports medicine, performance and equipment operations areas. Additionally, the facility will house locker rooms, coaches' offices, and meeting spaces for the football team, while also including a new video board inside Rynearson Stadium.
"We are a piece of a larger University campaign that will forever transform EMU," said Scott Wetherbee, Vice President and Director of Athletics at EMU. "This new sports medicine and performance training facility will consolidate department infrastructure, and help provide a safe, effective environment with the highest levels of care for our students, while helping EMU more closely align with its peers in the Mid-American Conference."
The athletics component was just one of three major facility improvements approved by the Regents at their December meeting in the areas of academics, student life and athletics. A total investment of $76 million was authorized with $40 million set for the renovation and expansion of Sill Hall and $16 million for an upgrade to the Rec/IM facility.
The sports medicine and performance training facility is Phase I of the Championship Building Plan and will be heavily supported by fundraising efforts. Those efforts have resulted in substantial commitments to the project, and additional gifts are expected. The estimated cost of phase I of the project is $20 million. A timeline for the project has not been finalized, however, construction is expected to begin in January of 2018.
"These three projects constitute a powerful step forward in terms of improving our academic, recreational, and training facilities for our students, faculty, staff and varsity athletes," said EMU President James Smith. "I'm excited to think of how our students will benefit from the variety of major University enhancements approved today."
The capital investment will provide modern sports medicine and performance training services for the University's approximately 550 student-athletes, while consolidating athletics personnel that are currently divided among the University's athletics and central campuses.
The structure will be located near the northwest corner of Rynearson Stadium, and is the first major athletics facility enhancement designed to service nearly every one of EMU's 21 varsity teams since the Convocation Center was completed in 1998.
The new video board will provide expanded marketing and advertising opportunities, generating additional revenue. The current video board at Rynearson Stadium was installed in August of 2009 and was a retrofit into the existing structure that was installed during a stadium renovation project in 1991-92.
EMU alumni, fans, and supporters of the Championship Building Plan still have a special opportunity to join in the project. Personalized bricks are available with multiple sizes and two different logo options offered. The brick campaign will provide a permanent place for people to share their story, connection, and appreciation for EMU, while contributing to the realization of the Championship Building Plan.
Brick purchases reflect support of the vision of the Championship Building Plan, advancing EMU Athletics and transforming experiences at Eastern Michigan. The commemorative bricks serve as perfect gifts, dedications and celebrations of all those who are or have been Green and White. At the completion of the project, the bricks will be installed. To design your brick, please visit EMUChampionshipBricks.com.
In approving the projects, the Regents authorized spending in addition to the capital budget approved by the Board on Feb. 7, 2017, for the 2017-18 fiscal year. Funding for these three projects will include fundraising, University resources and future University borrowing, and, in the case of Sill Hall, might also include state capital outlay funding, similar to that which helped fund recent major improvements in the Pray Harrold Building and Strong Hall.
About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.
About Eastern Michigan University Athletics
Eastern Michigan University has been a member of the Mid-American Conference since 1971 and has been among the league's most successful members. The Division I program boasts 141 MAC team championships, the most of any team in the league during that span. EMU's varsity intercollegiate program features 21 different sports, nine men's teams and 12 women's teams, the program employs more than 70 full-time staff, and supports more than 550 student-athletes. Eastern Michigan, which has had a representative at every summer Olympics since 1960, has won 15 team national championships and 54 individual national titles since 1932.
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