The renovation of the Bison Sports Arena called an audible with the placement of the separate indoor track and field facility. Instead of being located west of old Dacotah Field in an area now occupied by tennis courts, plans call for it to be built south of the football practice turf.
The revised plans put the building closer to the planned basketball practice facility and closer to the track and field locker rooms, which will be located in the BSA. NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor said the layout of the proposed track fits better in the new location than it did in the original proposed site.
It will not be connected to the BSA, but the distance will be considerably shorter. One benefit: When the facility hosts a track and field meet, athletes can warm up in an area in the BSA and will not have to cover about 200 yards in the cold to get to the indoor track.
Taylor said fundraising for the entire $38 million project is still ongoing.
"I think we're being very aggressive in a sense of trying to see as many people as we can as quickly as we can," he said. "Right now, we're focusing on the major gifts."
ADVERTISEMENT
A $10 million gift from Sanford Health last fall got the project off the ground. The Scheels family kicked in $5 million in December for the stadium that will be named Scheels Center.
Naming rights for the indoor track has yet to be determined, Taylor said.
Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack can be heard on the Saturday Morning Sports Show, 9-11 a.m. on WDAY-AM (970). He can be reached at (701) 241-5546.
Kolpack's NDSU media blog can be found at www.areavoices.com/bisonmedia
