NASHVILLE (AP) — Vanderbilt will turn an outdoor practice field into a new indoor facility, and the university's plan to upgrade athletics will use part of Vanderbilt Stadium's north end zone for basketball.
The university released an aerial map of the first improvements under the $300 million Vandy United fundraising plan announced in March along with more specifics for this first phase. Construction will start at the end of the upcoming football season.
"There is much work that remains, but it's great to see our future begin to take shape," athletic director Candice Lee said.
Vanderbilt already has an indoor practice facility that opened in November 2013 with a 120-yard field for the football team along with a six-lane track for the track and cross country teams. The new building will be built over one of the two outdoor practice fields immediately adjacent to McGugin Center.
That building also will be expanded to include a new training room, sports medicine facility and sport performance center for all sports along with a football operations center.
The south end zone of Vanderbilt Stadium will be upgraded with premium seating, hospitality spaces, other fan amenities and a new dining hall for athletes. The bigger changes will come in the north end zone nearest Memorial Gym, which will include practice courts, a weight room, locker rooms and offices for basketball.
More premium seats will be added to the north end zone inside the football stadium.
Working with Populous architects, Vanderbilt also will upgrade and expand its tennis center and improve the track and field complex. Vanderbilt asked Populous to look at how its baseball facilities can be upgraded coming off a second straight College World Series berth.
Vanderbilt also announced the Nashville construction company, which will handle the projects.
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