Representatives of the athletics department presented a $55 million plan for new and upgraded facilities to the board of trustees Wednesday afternoon.\nThe proposed project calls for a massive new addition to the north end zone of Memorial Stadium, the creation of the Indiana Basketball Development Center and the construction of the Hoosier Baseball and Softball Complex.\n"You wanted to see us strengthen our winning tradition across all sports. ... Our goal is that IU will be excellent in all that we do," IU President Adam Herbert told the trustees. "If we have the kinds of aspirations you articulated, we must have high-quality facilities. We must have very strong external support. We must have new athletics-driven resources."\nAn expected $45 million will come from athletics department revenue, while $10 million to fund the project is coming from private gifts.
Memorial Stadium North End Zone Project\n The proposed Memorial Stadium North End Zone Project will replace the bleachers at the north and south ends of the field and replace them with a four-story complex, which will house an exercise area for student athletes overlooking the field, new coaching and administrative offices, a press room and a hall of fame area on the fourth floor to display IU's athletic accomplishments.\nFresh from undergoing surgery last week to remove a possible brain tumor, and with a large bandage still covering the right side of his head, IU football coach Terry Hoeppner stressed the importance of the project.\n"I'm honored to be here today," Hoeppner said. "Considering I'm 168 hours out of surgery, I'm honored to be anywhere today."\nHoeppner called the proposed facilities a "quantum leap" over what Memorial Stadium currently offers and said it would help the University's long-struggling football team move forward.\n"I think this is the catalyst we need to make the next step everybody wants to see," he said. \nHoeppner also announced he'll be back on the field within the next few days.\n"I feel great," he said. "My nurse is taking good care of me. I should be back with the team Sunday and ready for the start of the Big Ten season."
Indiana Basketball \nDevelopment Center\nThe Indiana Basketball Development Center is a proposed two-story building that would stand just to the southeast of Assembly Hall. That facility will provide additional courts, locker rooms, strength-training equipment, a players' lounge and other amenities to IU basketball players.\nBoth men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and women's basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack bemoaned the scheduling issues they have coordinating practices in Assembly Hall. Currently Branch McCracken Court is the only available facility where both teams can practice.\nSampson pointed out the recruiting advantage better facilities offers and reiterated Hoeppner's comments about improving the overall quality of IU athletics.\n"New facilities are not a guarantee we're going to succeed, but if we stay as we are, it probably guarantees we're not going to succeed," he said.\nVice President and Chief Administrative Officer Terry Clapacs also announced that a committee is currently reviewing the long-term use of Assembly Hall to recommend either renovating or removing the long-time home of IU basketball. Replacing Assembly Hall could cost upward of $120 million, he said.\n"We know that if we're going to build a new basketball facility at IU, we want to do it the right way," Clapacs said. "Basketball is very important to Hoosiers. We wouldn't want to build something average."
Hoosier Baseball \nand Softball Complex\nFinally, the trustees were shown the proposal for the Hoosier Baseball and Softball Complex. Located just north of the American Pavillion and Indiana Tennis Center, both stadiums will feature indoor batting cages and bullpens, new locker rooms and adjacent offices.\nSoftball coach Stacey Phillips said the proposed complex would be perfect to host national championships and could even attract minor league teams for training.\nUnder the proposal, the current baseball and softball facilities would be open to the rest of the IU and Bloomington communities.\n"This (facility) is way below Big Ten standards," said Jim Edson, an associate principal for HOK, the company overseeing athletics plan. "At one time, it was probably an OK baseball field, but this is far from a Big Ten venue you can be proud of today."\nTrustees will vote on the athletics facilities proposal at their next meeting at 1:45 p.m. Friday in the Frangipani Room of the Indiana Memorial Union.\nIndiana University Student Associated President Betsy Henke said she sees no reason not to support the proposal.\n"The athletic department has been so financially responsible lately there's no reason for students to oppose this," Henke said. "It will enhance the entire campus."\nIf approved, ground could be broken on some of these projects by the end of the year. All are expected to be completed in the next three years. \n--Staff writer Michael Sanserino contributed to this report
