The University of Florida Athletic Department announced that it will spend $130 million as part of its facilities master plan to upgrade its softball stadium, a new baseball ballpark on the southwest part of campus, and a new stand-alone football training complex.
The estimated $11 million renovation to softball’s Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium will begin in the summer of 2018 with a goal for completion prior to the 2019 season. Renovations will include a 360-degree open concourse, shade structures for fans and an elevated press box. Fixed seating, which will be all chairback seats, will increase from 1,431 to approximately 2,280 and overall capacity will be approximately 2,800. There will be modern student-athlete and staff amenities, such as locker room and sports medicine facilities, and enhanced experiences for fans.
Construction for the estimated $50 million baseball ballpark, with an overall capacity of 10,000, will begin in the fall of 2018 with a completion goal prior to the 2020 season. Home plate will face northeast with the sun behind the stadium for a cooler atmosphere for the student-athletes and fans. A 360-degree open concourse will give fans constant field views and multiple seating options will be under shade. Permanent chairback seats will increase from 2,408 to approximately 5,000, while fans will also be able to choose from premium seating and non-traditional seating options to bring overall capacity to approximately 10,000. Enhanced concession space with new food options will also be available for fans, while student-athletes and staff will enjoy modern amenities and increased spaces.
Meanwhile, construction for the $65 million 130,000-sq. ft. football training complex will be based on site availability and currently estimated to start in late 2019 or early 2020 with a completion goal of 2021. The facility will serve as the new day-to-day home for Florida football student-athletes and staff. Florida’s meeting rooms, locker room, strength and conditioning area, training room and coaches’ offices will all be adjacent to the practice field, creating maximum efficiency within the program. Other details are still in the development stage and will be announced later.
“We want to invest wisely in our infrastructure to enhance our student-athlete and fan experiences,” athletics director Scott Stricklin said in a statement. “And we want to make sure that we are making the best long-term decisions to create championship experiences with integrity for all of those that touch our programs. Our athletic department is consistently among the top five in the nation, and it is our intent that all three of these facilities mirror that.
More details about the development can be found here.