The facility arms race in the flush-with-money SEC continues this week, with Florida the latest to (finally) fire a construction salvo.
In a press release Wednesday, UF athletic director Jeremy Foley announced that the university is set to begin construction on an indoor football practice facility. The $15 million project, which will be located on the site of the current Sanders Football Practice Fields and funded through private gifts and capital financing, is expected to be completed by early September.
According to the release, 30 football practices were affected by weather in 2014 alone.
“This is something we have talked about internally for some time,” said Foley in a statement. “We have always been able to utilize The O’Connell Center as an indoor option for the football team, but with the renovation starting this Spring, it will no longer be available.”
The Gators, incidentally, had been the last of the 14 SEC schools without an indoor facility for football or without plans to build one. From the release, here are a few details of the facility:The new indoor facility will house a full 120-yard, synthetic turf football field, additional space for drill work on the north end of the field, three camera platforms, satellite training room facilities, equipment storage and restrooms. The project will also feature a newly redesigned entrance to the baseball stadium and football practice facility.
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In addition to the indoor turf field, the updated Sanders football practice fields will include two natural grass fields; a 120-yard field (including two end zones) and a 70-yard field (with end zone on one end). The indoor facility will have multiple overhead roll-up doors along the east and west side for ventilation, and also for easy access to allow the team to utilize all three fields during a practice.