September 17, 2010. Project ranked as new president’s “top priority,” Construction of $70 million facility to begin in early October
FAU gets the OK to build its on-campus football stadium
By TED HUTTON Sun Sentinel
Friday, September 17, 2010
BOCA RATON — After spending its first 10 years playing in rented stadiums miles from its campus, Florida Atlantic’s football team is coming home next season.
The state Board of Governors gave final approval Thursday to FAU’s plans to build a 30,000-seat stadium on its main Boca Raton campus, and construction will begin early next month with a timetable that could have the Owls hosting their first true home game a year from now.
“This is just going to be the most wonderful thing for the campus and our students. I am really excited this day has come,” FAU President Mary Jane Saunders said following the unanimous vote.
The vote was particularly sweet for FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger, who has been pushing for a stadium since he was hired in 1998 to create the university’s football program.
“It is completion,” Schnellenberger said.
Schnellenberger had pushed for stadiums on the campuses at two previous stops in his long coaching career — Miami and then Louisville.
Miami still does not have a stadium in Coral Gables, and Schnellenberger left Louisville before construction on Papa John’s Stadium began.
“Hopefully, I will get to play in this one,” Schnellenberger said.
Schnellenberger, 76, is signed through next season, so he should be able to coach in Boca Raton after spending his first 10 seasons as coach of the Owls at “home” games first at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens and now at Fort Lauderdale’s Lockhart Stadium.
Some FAU players watched the web feed of the Board of Governors meeting at the Tom Oxley Athletic Center and were pleased with the outcome.
“This is a moment we have been waiting on,” junior offensive lineman Max Karrick said.
“I can’t wait to open up there next season,” sophomore quarterback Graham Wilbert said.
Schnellenberger said the stadium will also be a boost to recruiting, referring to Lockhart “as well-suited for high school games.”
The stadium is expected to cost a total of $70 million, with FAU borrowing $45 million. The university will pay $20 million from various university reserves and auxiliary enterprises and $5 million will come from proceeds from the dormitories being built next to the stadium site.
The stadium will include 20 luxury suites and 1,000 club seats and is part of $200 million Innovation Village project, which will have dorms with 2,400 beds, classrooms and retail space at the north end of campus.
When completed, the stadium will be the largest sports facility in Broward and Palm Beach counties, with Lockhart and BankAtlantic Center both seating about 22,000.
“It was extremely gratifying,” FAU Athletic Director Craig Angelos said about Thursday’s vote. “It has been a long and arduous journey.”
Angelos and then President Frank Brogan revealed plans for Innovation Village in 2005, and the project crept along.
The stadium was originally expected to open this season, but the economic downturn thwarted those plans and put the project in limbo.
When Saunders arrived in June she jump-started the project by making the stadium her top priority.
“I know how important a stadium is to the life of students, and I said, ‘Let’s give it one more shot and try and make this happen,’ “ Saunders said.
“She made it all happen by hitting a walk-off home run and getting us over the top,” Angelos said.