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New Gamecocks football operations center getting closer to becoming reality
By Jason Hall
Published:
The University of South Carolina announced the approval of the second phase to the construction of its football operations center by the Building and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees Friday.
.@GamecockFB Ops Center has been given phase 2 approval today (ICYMI story) #SpursUp https://t.co/EA0yMKU01x pic.twitter.com/xcdJOcgMJg
— Spurs & Feathers (@SpursFeathers) September 16, 2016
The full Board is scheduled to meet Friday afternoon to provide final approval of the project before it goes through the State’s processes, according to The Big Spur.
It must then go through three state offices — Commission of Higher Education, Join Bond Revue and State Fiscal Accountability Authority — for grant approvals, if it does get full approval from the Board. If so, construction should begin as early as 2017.
South Carolina provided fans with a preview of its new $50 million facility on its YouTube account Thursday.
Head coach Will Muschamp called the building a “game changer” for the program during SEC Media Days.
“We’ll start in January. It will take 15 to 18 months. I think it’s going to be a game-changer for us as far as the student-athletes on our campus presently, but also in the recruiting process. We all like shiny and new. It will be, and we’ve been able to put our hands on it with the architects and get exactly what we want. We’re really excited about that process.”
Former quarterback Tommy Suggs, who was honored in the renaming of Gamecock Park, and his wife made a generous donation toward the proposed $50 million facility, which will be located adjacent to the Jerri and Steve Spurrier Indoor Football Facility. The new building will provide coaches and student-athletes with the ability to train and compete at the highest level, according to a press release from the university.
South Carolina also announced the approval of a new sculpture of the Gamecock mascot outside Williams-Brice Stadium.
USC also considering building this incredible sculpture of an actual Gamecock outside Williams-Brice Stadium. pic.twitter.com/pQLHMWT4mL
— Avery G. Wilks (@AveryGWilks) September 16, 2016
And it was approved. https://t.co/2odOdmutOK
— Avery G. Wilks (@AveryGWilks) September 16, 2016
The statue is approximately 15-18 feet in height and its scale is intended to “create a dramatic presence in the broad plaza at the foot of the stadium structure beyond.”
The project was approved by the Design Review Committee and will be reviewed in the future by the DRC as development continues.
Jason covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
