There is a funny thing that happens when you work so hard to achieve a goal. When you get there, yeah its pretty sweet, but then an entire new set of challenges present themselves, perhaps harder than the goal you fought so hard to achieve. And that just might be the case with Utah and the Pac-12.
Since I now live in a long time Pac-12 city, Tucson, I have seen up close how far behind Utah is on virtually every facility that isn’t a football stadium. And this is just the University of Arizona, not even up the road at ASU or at Washington or the LA schools. Arizona’s pool and softball complex are outstanding. Utah’s pool was built in the 1960’s and our current softball stadium is dirt dumped on a parking lot.
So this is what has brought us to the Invest in Excellence Campaign. And a video narrated by Bill Marcroft.
Now the debate about why we are so far behind is for another article. The fact is, we are so very far behind. If you look at this chart
you’ll see we’re dead last and around $27 million from being average. And that’s just the yearly operating expenses not the fact that our facilities lag in almost every area. So here is a look at some of the things on tap which this campaign will bring us.
$30 Million Dollar Football Center
Already underway and slated for completion next summer. This is an incredibly important piece considering we are in a league with Oregon and Daddy Warbucks err Philip Knight.
This will be ready for next season as well at a cost of $4.5 million dollars. This is a badly needed update as Utah finished dead last in the Pac-12 in Softball (and Baseball). We need to find ways to be competitive in minor sports.
This will be ready for the Fall of 2013 and will give us very competitive facilities in the Pac-12. The cost is $2 million. Included with this are improvement to the indoor courts.
When this is actually on the construction schedule, I will consider this campaign as truly moving forward. This facility has been promised to Utah coaches since the hiring of Rick Majerus its lack is one of the serious reasons Utah Basketball has collapsed. We desperately need a basketball practice facility.
There are other plans such as a new swimming and diving center and improvements to our women’s soccer facilities. And none of this counts toward an eventual expansion of the South Endzone at Rice-Eccles Stadium. So if we’re going to compete in the Pac-12, this university has to step up its game in a MAJOR WAY. Winning in the Pac-12 doesn’t come cheap.