The Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Basketball Facility is still surrounded by chain-link fences and the occasional stepladder, but the project is set to open this September, a month later than originally intended.
The grand opening of the building will clear up construction congestion for students going to and from class as well as become a new addition for the U’s basketball program.
The building is close to the Huntsman Center, separated by 100 feet of sidewalk and landscaping. The 80,000 square foot establishment is separated into two wings for the women’s and men’s team. In addition to the traditional film room, players’ lounge, lockers and soak areas, both wings feature fireplaces, laundry chutes and music docks. Players are accommodated with raised chairs, shower heads and 55-inch TVs on the walls to use as they like.
The training facility is intended to present a wider range of possibilities for the basketball program. The men’s basketball gym will have five professional grade basketball hoops to expand practicing capabilities, as well as built-in ball racks and TV screens for on-court film clip access. A balcony above the court provides viewing space for donors and recruits. Additionally, there will be an in-house sports medicine center, a strength and conditioning center, and display cases for artifacts of teams past.
The Invest in Excellence Campaign for Utah Athletics collected donations for the center online. The U’s athletics department combined funds from Pac-12 revenue and private donors to pursue the $36 million project.
Construction of the facility began in May 2014 and multiple walkways and parking spaces were blocked off to accommodate the work. It also made it more difficult for students relying on TRAX and living in the Marriott Honors Community to access campus.
Andrew Lake, a sophomore majoring in chemistry, said the construction would sometimes close off the path between HPER and the soccer field. Lake would have to turn around and walk around the field, making it difficult to get to class. Now that construction is winding down, students will have one less barrier to worry about in their commute.
For more information on the new facility, you can visit: http://www.runninutes.com/program/training_center.html
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