UI looks to expand facilities
By Gregg Hennigan
Iowa City Press-Citizen
With the $87 million Kinnick Stadium project nearing completion, the University of Iowa now wants to renovate several other athletic facilities, including Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
UI will present a report to the Iowa state Board of Regents at its meeting in Cedar Falls next week and will ask for regent comments on the prospective projects.
UI is considering building a practice gymnasium on the north end of Carver-Hawkeye for the basketball and volleyball teams. The addition is needed because the main floor of the facility is the only practice area for the teams and creates scheduling difficulties for practices and games, according to information UI submitted to the regents.
UI also stated that the building’s roof membrane needs to be replaced and that elevators and other accessibility needs are a high priority.
UI is also looking to renovate the 81-year-old Field House, the clubhouse at Finkbine Golf Course and the Jacobson Athletic Building. UI hopes to add 6,000 square feet of additional weight and training space for the football program in Jacobson.
No cost estimates or project timelines were given for any of the projects.
In addition, the school wants to build a boathouse along the Iowa River for the women’s rowing team, which UI said is its only varsity sport without a permanent workout facility. The estimated project cost is $3 million to $5 million. It would be funded with Athletic Department earnings and gifts, according to UI.
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