FAYETTEVILLE — A basketball practice facility, student-athlete academic and career development center and indoor training facility for baseball and track with a combined estimated cost of $45.8 million to $57.6 million is a step closer to becoming reality at Arkansas.
The UA athletic department, in accordance with the board of trustees’ policy, issued requests for qualifications Friday for an architect/ design team and construction manager/general contractor team for the three facilities, which are part of a master plan unveiled by Athletic Director Jeff Long in September 2009.
All of the costs will be paid by athletic department revenue and private donations.
“This is another step to make sure we get the information we need to make a recommendation to the board, and hopefully get board approval sometime in the not-too-distant future,” Long said. “It’s part of the process.”
Long noted that Arkansas is the only SEC school without a basketball practice facility.
“I think basketball practice facilities to some look like a frivolous, over-the-top thing that we’re getting for our program, but it’s a basic part of success,” Long said. “I think if you go back and look over the past 10 years, people have passed us by in that regard.”
Long said it’s important that the men’s and women’s teams be able to practice at the same time if necessary - one at Walton Arena and one at the practice facility - so players don’t have to be shut out of certain classes. He also said that with new NCAA rules allowing coaches to conduct workouts in the summer, players need a place to practice when Walton Arena isn’t available, such as when the Wal-Mart shareholders’ meeting is held there.
The basketball practice facility is estimated to be 70,000 to 85,000 square feet - including two full-length courts with side baskets, locker rooms, weight rooms, meeting rooms, training rooms, lounges, office areas for coaches and a museum - and cost $20 million to $25 million.
The athletic academic and career development center, which also will include a dining area and offices for a sports psychologist, nutritionist and development staff, is estimated to be 47,000 to 58,000 square feet and cost $18 million to $23 million. The indoor practice facility for baseball and track is estimated to be 40,000 to 45,000 square feet and cost about $7.75 million.
Long said the indoor facility will allow the baseball team to practice during inclement weather and during track meets will provide areas for the throws and warm-ups so Arkansas can continue to bid to host SEC and NCAA meets.
“That really puts us ahead,” Long said of the indoor facility. “The other ones allow us to catch up to our competitors in the SEC.”
It likely will be at least two years before the basketball practice facility could be completed.
“I’m just estimating, but it will be a year-long process for us to go through approvals and get everything planned out,” Long said. “So you’ve got at least a year for the process before you ever break ground, and then it’s probably another 12 to 18 months to build something like that. So we’re talking at least a couple of years out if we start now.”
Arkansas’ football operations center is currently under construction and is expected to completed by the spring or summer of 2013.
Sports, Pages 22 on 06/30/2012