TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of LSU Athletics
FROM: Skip Bertman, LSU Director of Athletics
This Week:
Last week’s Cyber-side Chat generated the most responses to date. I’m excited to know that so many people are reading these e-mails and giving them so much consideration. That is evident from your thoughtful responses.
As I promised in my last Cyber-side Chat, this week I’m going to take you on a tour of a few Southeastern Conference schools so you can see facility development in the athletics programs with which we compete.
But first let me say this: I am a longtime believer that PEOPLE win games, not facilities. You can put a great coach with great players in a bad stadium and win games. You can have the best stadium in America, but if the coach or the athletes are not up to par, the team will not be successful.
However, to get those great coaches and great players, you have to be able to attract them to your campus. You do that in part with facilities. Then you have to give them the tools to succeed: proper funding for recruiting, travel, equipment and academic support.
And having good facilities is also about you, the customer. You should have a clean and safe place to bring your family to enjoy Tiger Athletics.
As we take an inventory of facility development among SEC schools, I think you will see that LSU has begun to fall behind our competitors. We must ask ourselves where we will be in 10 to 15 years if we don’t begin to make improvements now. That’s why we are in the planning stage of improving athletics facilities in keeping with our “Top-Five Vision.”
So let’s take a look around the SEC. The facility improvements below depict only some, not all, of the development around our league.
Alabama’s facility improvements in recent years have included a $38 million upgrade to its football stadium, $6 million for a gymnastics facility and $6.5 million for its baseball stadium. After completing a $60 million planned project in its football stadium, the Crimson Tide will have spent over $150 million since 1996.
Arkansas built a new basketball arena for $36 million, a new baseball stadium for $9.2 million, a new indoor track for $9.6 million and completely renovated its football stadium for $110 million, in all spending over $170 million since 1993.
Arkansas has made such an investment that the oldest athletics facility on the Fayetteville campus that hasn’t been either rebuilt or completely renovated is Bud Walton Arena, Arkansas’ basketball facility was built only 10 years ago, and 21 years after LSU’s Assembly Center opened.
Florida renovated its basketball arena for $10.6 million and built a stand-alone basketball practice facility for $10 million. When they complete a $50 million upgrade to its football stadium this year, the Gators will have spent well over $100 million since 1991 on facility improvements.
Georgia has upgraded its football stadium three times since 1991 for $21 million and just approved another $21 million expansion that will make it bigger than Tiger Stadium. Meanwhile, it has spent over $10 million on three renovations to an Olympic sports complex to give the Bulldogs over $90 million in improvements since 1996.
South Carolina spent $30 million on its football stadium and built a new basketball arena for $70 million, giving the Gamecocks over $106 million in facility upgrades since 1994.
And at Tennessee, over $18 million was spent on the football stadium as the Volunteers were announcing $50 million in other new facilities and renovations for a total of over $100 million since 1987.
Meanwhile, LSU’s facility improvements in the last 20 years have been comparatively sparse. While other SEC schools made major investments in their facilities during the 1980s and 1990s, LSU has spent less than $70 million in major athletics facilities since 1979. If it weren’t for the $50 million for the east side addition to Tiger Stadium, LSU would have spent less than $20 million in the last 24 years.
Most of LSU’s current facilities were built in 1975 and before, and only Tiger Stadium has had any major renovation. So, while other SEC schools continue to generate more revenue and invest it in facility improvements, LSU trails the major schools in the league in this very important category.
Now that we’ve taken a look around the conference, I hope you will agree that, if we don’t make some important decisions soon about our facilities, we will fall further behind our competition in this important part of our athletics program.
I encourage you to send your feedback to us at LSUvision@etigers.net. Although I cannot guarantee a response to every e-mail, please know that they will all be read, so I hope you will participate in our plan. Thank you for your continued support of Tiger Athletics.
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MAJOR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, RENOVATIONS AT SEC SCHOOLS
NEW FACILITIES:
Softball Stadium $3 million 2000
Basketball/Gymnastics Facility $6 million 1996
RENOVATIONS:
Bryant-Denny Football Stadium East upper deck $38 million 1998
Baseball Stadium $6.5 million 2001
PLANNED PROJECTS $100 million
Bryant-Denny Football Stadium north end enclosure
Renovation of Coleman Coliseum
Conversion of Bryant Hall tAcademic Support Facility
Football Facility renovation and addition
New Tennis Complex
TOTAL $153.5 Million
ARKANSAS Since 1993
NEW FACILITIES:
Tyson Track Center $9.6 million 2000
Bud Walton Basketball Arena $36 million 1993
Walker Indoor Football Practice Pavilion $3.5 million 1998
Baum Baseball Stadium $9.2 million 1996
RENOVATIONS:
Reynolds Razorback Stadium $110 million 2001
Indoor Tennis Facility $200,000 2002
PLANNED PROJECTS:
Baum Baseball Stadium renovation (5,900 seats) $2 million
TOTAL $170.5 Million
NEW FACILITIES:
Plainsman Park (Baseball) $4.2 million 1996
McWhorter Center $4.2 million 2001
Moore Field (Softball) $3.1 million 2002
Tatum Strength and Conditioning Center $2.8 million 2002
Football Indoor Practice Facility $1.5 million 1999
Soccer Complex $700,000 1994
James E. Martin Aquatic Center $11 million 1993
RENOVATIONS:
Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum $5.6 million 1999
Athletic Museum in Athletic Complex $1.4 million 1996
Soccer Complex $400,000 2002
Plainsman Park (Baseball) $2.3 million 2002
PLANNED:
Football Stadium Renovation $28 million
TOTAL $65.2 Million
FLORIDA Since 1991
NEW FACILITIES:
Lemerand Athletic Center (Multi-purpose facility) $5.6 million 1995
Carse Swimming & Diving Complex $2 million 1998
Basketball Practice Facility $10 million 2001
Softball Stadium $2.6 million 1996
Linder Tennis Complex $1.7 million 1999
Soccer Practice Field $600,000 1998
RENOVATIONS:
Football North Endzone $16 million 1991
O’Connell Center (BKB, TRK,VB, GYM $8.1 million 1998
2nd renovation: $2.5 million 1999
Percy Beard Track & Field $1.9 million 1995
McKethan Baseball Stadium $505,000 1996
Golf Course $4 million 2001
IN PROGRESS:
Ben Hill Griffin Football Stadium Renovation $50 million
TOTAL $105.5 Million
GEORGIA Since 1991
NEW FACILITIES
Swimming/Diving competition pool,
Volleyball practice and competition arena,
Gymnastics practice gym $7.5 million 1996
Soccer/Softball Complex $4.5 million 1998
Golf – Golf center/clubhouse $650,000 1999
Golf – Practice facility $1.2 million 1997
Baseball $3.5 million 1990
RENOVATIONS
Sanford Football Stadium $22 million 91/94/00
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Tennis Clubhouse for men and women $3 million
Equestrian Facility $3 million
Sanford Football Stadium renovation
(addition of 5,200 seats) $21.2 million August 2003
PLANNED PROJECTS:
Soccer/Softball Complex improvements $6 million
Indoor Multi-Purpose Practice Facility $18 million
TOTAL $90.55 Million
LSU Since 1979
NEW FACILITIES
Golf Practice Facility $800,000 2002
Softball Park $300,000 1997
Soccer Complex $300,000 1996
Athletic Administration Building $5.3 million 1993
Indoor Football Practice Facility $3.1 million 1991
Natatorium $3 million 1985
RENOVATIONS
Tiger Stadium East Side expansion $50,000 million 2000
Lawton Squad Room $1.2 million 1998
Weight/Training/Locker rooms $5.5 million 1996
TOTAL $69.5 Million
SOUTH CAROLINA Since 1994
NEW FACILITIES
Football office complex $2 million 1995
Basketball/Volleyball practice facility $4 million 1994
Carolina Center Basketball arena $70 million 2002
RENOVATIONS
Williams-Brice Football Stadium
(expansion, press box, suites) $30 million 1995/1997
TOTAL $106 Million
NEW FACILITIES
Neyland Thompson Sports Center $11 million 1989
Lindsey Nelson Baseball Stadium $2.2 million 1993
Soccer Complex $1.1 million 1996
Indoor Tennis Complex $2 million 1997
Neyland Stadium – 78 new eastside suites $18.5 million 2000
Rowing Boathouse $2.5 million 2002
Neyland Stadium Assembly Center – new $2 million 2002
RENOVATIONS
Neyland Stadium West Side/Press Box $10 million 1987
Tom Black Track $1 million 1992
Softball Stadium $500,000 1996
Varsity Tennis Courts $1.5 million 1997
Neyland Stadium – 78 new eastside suites $18.5 million 2000
PLANNED PROJECTS
Neyland-Thompson Stadium expansion $12 million
Aquatic Center – new $20 million
Golf Range Building – new $750,000
Softball Stadium – new $2.5 million
Soccer Stadium – new $2 million
Stokely Athletics Center renovation $5 million
TOTAL $113.05 Million
SUMMARY
(Includes Planned Projects)
Arkansas $170.5 Million Built & Planned Since 1993
Alabama $153.5 Million Built & Planned Since 1996
Tennessee $113.05 Million Built & Planned Since 1987
South Carolina $106.0 Million Built Since 1994
Florida $105.5 Million Built & Planned Since 1991
Georgia $90.55 Million Built & Planned Since 1991
LSU $69.5 Million Built Since 1979
Auburn $65.2 Million Built Since 1993