USF to take bids for on-campus athletics complex

TAMPA - Since January of 2005 when University of South Florida athletic director Doug Woolard announced plans to upgrade the school's athletic facilities, there has been no definitive timetable for the project.

The school is getting closer to having one now.

Monday, the university announced it is accepting bids for the design and construction of the school's "athletics district." The project includes new stadiums for softball and baseball, a new basketball practice facility and new football practice fields and intramural fields. Additional projects, including a new soccer stadium and a new tennis complex, may be included subject to the availability of funds.

As a design/build team is selected and the planning takes place, USF will work on a parallel financial model that will drive the decision-making on the scope of the project. The proposals are due by Aug. 26 and "by the end of this fall the school should announce a timetable for the start of construction," executive associate athletic director Bill McGillis said.

USF has about $11 million in gift commitments toward the athletics district and raising more money - "we intend to raise several million more" - remains the athletic department's highest commitment, McGillis said. USF also will allot some of the athletic department's annual operating budget "to take out some of the debt service," McGillis added.

Renovation of the Sun Dome is not included in the "athletics district" projects and remains a separate project, McGillis said.

"Building facilities is critical," McGillis said. "Therefore when we set the annual budget going forward, we will carve into the budget the capacity to repay debt service we are going to take on. There are budget trade-offs. We'll give some things up because of taking up our debt service."

USF's budget for the 2009-10 school year is $32.27 million, which ranks as the lowest budget among Big East football member schools.

"We think we have momentum going forward that makes this the right time to launch the project," McGillis said. "We're in a more sound financial position than ever before, but that does not mean we don't have financial challenges."

Two prominent USF boosters recently said upgraded facilities are necessary to be competitive in the Big East.

"We're the ninth-largest school in the nation and in the Big East," said Jeffrey Neil Fox, owner of Bucs and Bulls Heaven and a 1975 USF graduate. "It's good to have facilities to match up with those accolades and hopefully wins will follow as well. It all should be a great recruiting tool."

Richard Gonzmart, President of the Columbia Restaurant and a member of USF's Hall of Fame Executive Committee, was excited about the news.

"It's necessary to bring in the best athletes," Gonzmart said. "We have some great schools in Florida and in the Big East we're going against.

"I was pumped [by the news] - I was surprised - but in this economy, I think they have to make the commitment. There are some very generous people in our community. I believe in our country. The economy is going to turn around."

The school previously had announced two major gifts for the athletics district: Frank Morsani's $3 million donation in May 2006 toward a new softball stadium and football practice fields and Pam and Les Muma's $3 million donation in March 2008 for a new basketball center/practice facility.

In February, Vicki Mitchell, USF's associate AD for development, said about 50 percent of the funding for a new softball stadium had been acquired. USF softball coach Ken Eriksen said the total figure for a new stadium was about $6.5 million.

"I'm excited that we are taking the next step in moving forward with plans on another portion of our athletics district," Woolard said in a statement. "We've been working on this project for some time and this process will position us another step closer in bring these facilities to fruition.

"The development of these facilities is critical to future competitive success, our interest in providing USF student-athletes the very best experience possible and our objective of building one of the premier athletics programs in the nation."

In January 2005, Woolard announced plans for the "athletics district" that would include new stadiums for softball, baseball and soccer, a new tennis complex, new basketball practice facilities, new football practice fields and major renovations to the Sun Dome.

Since then, the only construction has been a new $2.79 million track, which was paid for entirely by Hillsborough County.