Athletics upgrades at CU-Boulder get OK from regents

Artist's rendering of the planned indoor practice facility.

A $140 million plan for new and redesigned athletics facilities at the University of Colorado Boulder is moving forward.

The Board of Regents voted 9-0 to approve the plan as presented by Athletic Director Rick George to the board during its Wednesday meeting at CU Denver in St. Cajetan’s on the Auraria Campus.

“These facilities are extremely important to us,” George told the board, calling the plan sustainable, long reaching, and aimed at establishing collaborations with faculty, staff, students and the public. “This isn’t a ‘want’ that we’re here for today – this is a need that we have.”

When the plan first was presented to the board in February, the project totaled $170 million; revisions brought down the cost, which will be funded by private fundraising, bonding, corporate partners and new revenue streams. The plan includes a multipurpose, indoor practice facility for football, track and other sports, as well as improvements to Folsom Field including a new club level and rooftop terrace that would generate revenue via non-game-day events.

George showed a video of men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle, then introduced football coach Mike MacIntyre to address the board; both stressed the crucial role that quality practice, training and study facilities play in recruiting top student athletes.

“All of these things turn into wins – and we need to win,” Boyle said in the video. “I understand that, you understand that.”

MacIntyre said the first question he’s hearing from recruits is how the facilities plan is progressing; he said he assured a potential player this week that he’d be practicing in a new facility in 2015.

“Your football program is your curb appeal for your university,” MacIntyre said. “This is definitely a need and a must.”

Click here to go to CUBuffs.com and read more on the planned facilities.