Clemson trustees give approval for $125 million in football and basketball projects

by Press Release - Fri Feb 06 16:26:38 GMT-04:00 2015

Clemson University trustees approved the initial concept plan to replace and upgrade the main campus electrical distribution system. The project is estimated to cost $75 million, to be paid for with maintenance and stewardship funds and state institution bonds.

Brett Dalton, vice president for finance, said, “Replacing and updating the antiquated and unreliable 50- to 60-year-old electrical infrastructure is essential to meeting the basic electrical service needs of the campus while simultaneously increasing safety, efficiency and reliability.”

The board gave final approval for renovation of Littlejohn Coliseum and concept approval for a new football operations center.

The coliseum renovation includes reconstruction of the seating areas, along with new practice facilities, locker room, meeting rooms and coaches’ offices for both the men’s and women’s basketball programs.

The trustees also approved the athletic facilities bond resolution for the project, which is slated to cost $63.5 million.

Additionally, the board granted concept approval of a new football operations complex, to be located near the existing indoor practice facility. The concept approval begins the process and allows for hiring an architect and further design of the new building.

The complex will include locker rooms, meeting rooms and coaches’ offices along with strength and conditioning, sports medicine and dining areas, all located next to the indoor practice facility and existing practice fields. The initial budget for the project is $62 million.

“We’re appreciative of the board giving final approval to the Littlejohn Coliseum project and initial approval to the football operations center,” said Dan Radakovich, director of athletics. “We will now seek state approval for these two extremely important facility pieces for our athletic department.”

In the academic arena, the trustees approved master’s and Ph.D. degrees in agriculture with three concentrations: agricultural systems management, agribusiness and natural resources economics and agricultural education.

They also OK’d a new undergraduate certificate in health in low resource countries and undergraduate and graduate certificates in advanced manufacturing.

In program modifications, the board approved adding Charleston and Greenville delivery of the master’s degree program in city and regional planning, and campus and Charleston delivery sites for the Master of Real Estate Development.