By Blake Haas
NORMAL – According to Illinois State University’s Athletic Director, the biggest goal for his administration in 2022 is to break ground on an $11.5 million indoor practice facility.
According to ISU AD Kyle Brennan, the university is focused on fundraising to pay for the facility in 2022, with $7 million already raised for the project in 2021 through private donations.
During an ISU board of trustees meeting in December, Brennan was given the green light for the facility to be built where the current football practice field is located.
In an interview with ISU’s NPR station, Brenna hinted at selling the rights of Redbird Arena to pay for the new ‘bubble’ practice facility.
“Those rights would be going out for sale. That’s where we would look to get the rest of the money should we not be able to raise it,” Brennan told the NPR station.
Speaking with WJBC’s Scott Miller, Brennan said the facility would not exceed $11.5 million and would be used for a variety of sports.
“All sports will use it. I mean, the ones who compete outdoors, especially in the spring, can really benefit from it because they can simulate practice and games in there. But even sports like basketball, in the winter, they can go and run sprints and do different workouts in there.”
So our strength coaches are excited about it because even if your team doesn’t play outside and use a grass field, there’s definitely work that can be done. So every single athlete in our department can benefit from it.”
According to Brennan, namings rights to the new facility are also on the table to raise funds for construction.
“We’ve got great donors who are very generous – people who are stepping up, and fundraising is going really well. That gives me the confidence to say that we’ll be able to start in the spring or early summer. So I couldn’t be happier with the support that we are receiving.”
Brennan expects to break ground for the new facility in the spring or summer of this year.
Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].
