Renovations of Ross-Ade
to include more restrooms
By Laura Pelner
Campus
Editor
The chairwoman of the state budget committee has
some news for Purdue — women like football too.
For this reason, she joked, it's worth it for the
state to authorize the purchase of up to $70 million in bonds to renovate
Ross-Ade Stadium.
"I understand it's primarily for more ladies' restrooms,"
Vi Simpson, the chairwoman of the committee, said at the State Budget
Committee meeting that was held on campus Friday.
In addition to more restrooms, the $70 million
will go toward the expansion of Ross-Ade's main concourse and the creation
of luxury suites, indoor and outdoor club seating and concession stands,
as well as better plumbing and wider aisles. This work encompasses phase
one of the project.
Morgan Burke, director of Intercollegiate Athletics,
said the "wow" of the first phase is the new pavilion. "It will be spectacular,"
he said.
The Ross-Ade Foundation will fund the $70 million
bond authority and no money will come from the state. Burke said the
University will sell bonds to finance the construction costs up front
and then later pay them off like a mortgage, in increments.
Burke said the state's authorization was routine
and the committee needed to approve it so the work could start. He added,
though, that it was critical.
"Those people who've been in Ross-Ade Stadium understand
from a safety and hygiene standpoint that it's woefully inadequate,"
Burke said.
He said he thinks phase one of the project won't
cost $70 million, but the University will have that much to work with.
With the authorization, the University will start
searching for bids from construction companies this month. Construction
will begin immediately after the end of this year's football season,
in early November.
"We would envision a very busy year from the end
of the Michigan State game (Nov. 3) until Aug. 31 of next year," said
Burke. "If people were amazed at the construction that took place this
year, their heads will spin at what goes on next year."
When the renovations are complete the stadium will
be an asset to the University. State representative Sue Scholer (R-26th)
said it would help Purdue's reputation.
"I think certainly as universities strive to continue
their excellence, having the athletic programs and the facilities up
to date are important also," she said. "We're pleased to see this moving
forward and appreciate the cooperation of the state in allowing that
bonding authority."
At Friday's meeting the State Budget Committee
also approved a $12.5 million bonding authority to construct a new chiller
plant on campus.
The project includes constructing a steel frame
building and three-cell cooling tower structure to house electric chillers
and support the production of chilled water. The plant will provide
the chilled water cooling capacity for the proposed engineering building,
the Millennium Building, and satisfy current and future cooling loads
on the University's chilled water system.
The state's 2001 General Assembly created the $12.5
million bonding authority for the project, which in total would cost
about $13 million. The additional $500,000 will come from the Discovery
Park Development Fund.
The $13 million package is subject to approval
from the State Budget Director, Betty Cockrum, before it's final.
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