They Are Going up Fast, and USC Is Trying to Keep up in the Athletic-Facilities Race with a Long-Term Plan and a $100 Million Capital Campaign
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2006 • SECTION S They are going up fast, and USC is trying to keep up in the athletic-facilities race with a long-term plan and a $100 million capital campaign After the USC will face Under Backed by ‘front-line’ numerous athletics director big-time donors, programs, there challenges during Paul Dietzel, USC Arkansas has is a considerable its first capital was among the moved to the Who’s the best? drop-off in fundraising leaders in facilities front of the pack Ranking facilities USC’s facilities. campaign. in the early '70s. in the SEC. in the SEC. SEC FACILITIES: USC THE STATE, COLUMBIA, S.C. • WEDNESDAY, JULY 19 • PAGE S2 Playing from behind RICH GLICKSTEIN/[email protected] USC athletics director Eric Hyman envisions using the 41 acres from the Roundhouse, bottom left, to Stone Stadium to start anew with the school’s athletics facilities. With its crumbling Olympic sports, academic facilities, USC is looking up at its peers in the SEC Roost, Roundhouse on the chopping block; new academic center likely will be top priority By JOSEPH PERSON [email protected] The Roundhouse, site of South Carolina’s athletics offices, turns 50 this year. And USC athletics director “If you’re Eric Hyman would like to celebrate by blowing it up. “Once the The brick structure, built in 1956, contains plenty standing of Gamecocks history within its curved walls. Baseball baseball still, you’re coach Bobby Richardson had an office there, as did (stadium) nearly every USC athletics director beginning with War- falling ren Giese. gets built, Until the locker room at Williams-Brice Stadium was behind, completed in the 1970s, the Gamecocks’ football teams I’m sure it because showered at the Roundhouse and held their Friday will be state night, pregame meetings there. everyone is But like many of USC’s athletics facilities, the Round- of the art. upgrading house is showing its age. Basketball’s Termite damage. A leaky roof. Moldy carpet. across the Cramped quarters. Makeshift offices in supply areas. state of the Hyman’s running joke, which he board, began telling shortly after moving to art. But across the Columbia a year ago, goes as follows: most of the “The archeology department country. called. They want to look for dinosaur rest are not We’re all in bones and Indian relics.” good at all. But USC’s crumbling athletics fa- competition cilities are no laughing matter. Fif- ERIK CAMPOS/[email protected] Worse than teen years after joining the South- Hyman would like to tear down the Roundhouse, above, which turns 50 this year. for the same eastern Conference, many of USC’s not good. student- facilities are in need of a facelift. They’re just With an 80,000-seat football sta- Hyman partment, as well as several academic, alumni and ad- rived from Southern Cal in 1993. During his first couple athletes on dium, a 4-year-old basketball arena ministrative offices. of years in Columbia, McGee arranged facilities tours abom- the elite and a new baseball stadium set to open in 2008, the Hyman will need money to execute either plan. To for himself and USC board members whenever the inable.” Gamecocks’ front-line programs are in good shape. that end, USC is in the quiet phase of a $100 million Gamecocks’ football team played SEC road games. level.” However, the facilities for USC’s Olympic sports capital campaign. McGee said it was obvious USC needed upgrades in teams, as well as those housing the athletics depart- Assuming USC boosters answer the call, athletics “almost all sports” to compete in the SEC, whose mem- KENT ment’s academic and sports medicine centers, lag well officials next will have to prioritize the projects. bers generally have more alumni and more money than DEMARS, MARK behind the rest of the SEC. Hyman and Gamecocks football coach Steve the schools the Gamecocks faced in the Metro Confer- BERSON, USC men’s “I’ve been in this 35 years, and more (money) goes Spurrier have said a new academic center must come ence. tennis coach on USC men’s to make sure that your major sports can stay in the first. There also has been talk of expanding Williams- An Outland Trophy winner and former football coach the state of the soccer coach game,” said USC track coach Curtis Frye, whose Brice Stadium — a scenario that must give pause to at Duke, McGee’s first facilities improvements were to Gamecocks’ women’s squad captured USC’s only NCAA team title, those Olympic sports coaches waiting with their hands Williams-Brice, where USC spent $10 million to add club facilities in 2002. “We just have to have a way to catch up.” out. seats, suites and a new press box on the west side of the Hyman believes he has the way. Gamecocks men’s soccer coach Mark Berson said stadium in 1995. In the fall he is expected to unveil his long-awaited it is important that workers begin moving dirt before A year later, the Gamecocks’ football staff moved into master facilities plan. Sasaki Associates, the firm that USC loses more ground in the SEC arms race — and the $1.9 million Floyd Building and the $13.5 million, designed USC’s Innovista plan, has been working with loses recruits swayed by nicer facilities elsewhere. south end-zone expansion project was completed. the athletics department on two concepts. “If you’re standing still, you’re falling behind be- But McGee’s facilities legacy remains the Colonial The first involves tearing down the Roundhouse and cause everyone is upgrading across the board, across Center, a $67 million arena that “gave basketball a chance the Roost, the former athletics dormitory that now the country,” Berson said. “We’re all in competition for to compete on an equal footing almost with anybody in serves as the Gamecocks’ antiquated academic center, the same student-athletes on the elite level.” the country,” according to McGee. and starting anew on the 41 acres stretching from Rose- Although USC’s soccer programs received a new wood Drive to Stone Stadium. SURFACE REPAIRS FOR stadium under McGee’s watch, many of the Olympic USC leaders also are considering an $85 million plan SEVERAL SPORTS coaches felt invisible when it came to their facilities to transform the Carolina Coliseum into a five-floor, USC had been competing in the SEC for two seasons naturally lighted centerpiece housing the athletics de- in most sports when athletics director Mike McGee ar- SEE USC PAGE S3 SEC FACILITIES: USC THE STATE, COLUMBIA, S.C. • WEDNESDAY, JULY 19 • PAGE S3 It’s a tough time to play catch-up BIGGER AND bolder step Ron a couple of years, if the economy ger question is whether Hyman is completed a $30 million to nations from every shift at the never has been taken by the improves. the proper conductor for the ath- $33 million capital fundraising Greenville JP Stevens plant. Hy- ASouth Carolina athletics de- Morris Hyman says he understands. letics department fundraiser. The campaign at Texas Christian that man saw employee after em- partment. It is preparing to leave “Hopefully people have the answer is that Hyman has proved established new facilities ranging ployee who sacrificed beyond the sideline to engage in an arms Columnist passion and love and resources, in 12 months to be the even- from an academic center to a their means to contribute to the race in which only the strongest and want to make the invest- handed, forward-thinking busi- baseball stadium. United Way. Rmorris@ survive. thestate.com ment,” he says. “It’s a community nessman the USC athletics de- Hyman says USC’s campaign He says he learned there are There is little doubt of USC’s (803) 771-8432 effort to be able to do something partment so desperately needed. is not unlike TCU’s in that its fol- those who want to give and there need for improved athletics facili- like this. Hyman inherited a mess from lowing of fans has an undying are those who will have a million ties across the board. An acade- the way by to building better fa- “The economy is a factor, but the previous administration. He thirst for success on the athletic excuses for not giving. He also mic center for athletes tops the cilities. we’ve just got to keep on going.” has cleaned it up by demanding fields. Like USC, TCU’s campaign learned there are no indicators as list of needs. Football needs a bet- The timing might be wrong, On top of that, Hyman is send- fiscal accountability from the was its first. to where fertile giving ground is ter training table. Track and field though, on a couple of fronts. ing out his sales folks to make department’s coaches, by turning “Some schools are well-oiled located. needs a new track. Tennis needs First, these are not the best of pitches while USC president An- over the athletic administration machines. This one is not,” Hy- “You’re plowing up new new courts. The list of needs is economic times. Loyal fans are drew Sorensen inches into Phase staff and by creating an organiza- man says. “This one has never ground here, so you really don’t $100 million long. being asked to dig deeper into II of Innovista, Sorensen’s tional structure that allows the done it before. You will go to peo- know how rich the soil is,” That is the amount Eric Hy- their pockets for football tickets. research campus.