Although the Sports & Fitness Center is aimed at serving UC’s entire student body, there is one student constituency that will see enhanced benefit. Currently, one third of UC’s student population is made up of student-athletes. Statistics show that these student-athletes become some of UC’s best and brightest performers, on and off the court. Student-athletes are more engaged, provide leadership on campus, are more likely to stay at UC for their entire college career, and become productive members of the community. This important constituency must not be ignored.
Plans are to accomplish the renovation in two phases. Phase I will address the Eddie King Gymnasium, which will house the arena, locker rooms, and become the flagship structure on campus. In Phase I, the current Eddie King structure will be demolished and rebuilt. We will expand the new structure into the existing parking lot in order to provide a dramatic entrance. The court, which currently runs east and west, will be flipped to north and south orientation and be below ground level. As you walk into the new facility you will look down onto the court. Locker rooms will be situated below the grand entrance via a walk-way under the stands from the court. A walking track will be installed above and around the seating for the arena. New concession areas will be placed on either side of the facility and be part of the social atmosphere in the arena.
Phase II will address the Gorman Physical Education Building. In Phase II, the current facility will be dramatically renovated. UC’s athletic training facilities will be upgraded, the auxiliary gymnasiums will be expanded to provide more space for summer/community basketball and volleyball camps, racquetball courts will be installed, the aquatic center will be opened up with a new entrance and view from the gymnasium entrance, and office space for coaching staff will be constructed. Finally, in Phase II, the new arena and the Gorman Physical Education Building will be tied into the current Morrison Fitness Center to make one grand facility. By tying all three structures into one it will make room for construction of a climbing wall for increased activity options for all students.
Phase I Cost: $18,500,000
Phase II Cost: $ 7,500,000
