Purdue alumnus funds Ross-Ade renovations

By Dave Stephens
Assistant Campus Editor

A gift of $2 million from a Purdue alumnus will help fund the building of the new Ross-Ade Stadium press box and stadium club area.

The gift brings the lifetime contributions of Richard Shively, who graduated from Purdue in 1967, to $5 million. In honor of his gift, the new additions will be named the Shively Media Center and the Shively Stadium Club.

"A gift like this is tremendous," said Morgan Burke, director of intercollegiate athletics. "It really helps the financial structure of the project and it gives us more flexibility in the amount we need to finance."

Burke said that Shively has been a generous benefactor to the athletic department, adding that Shively was especially adamant about the press box renovation, having worked in it as a sportswriter and broadcaster.

"If you've ever been in our current press facility you'd know it's very inadequate," said Burke.

The stadium's new media center will provide seating for more than 100 reporters and offer the latest technology, including Internet access.

The current press box is expected to be demolished after the conclusion of this home football season. The new media center is expected to be operational for the start of the 2002 season.

Along with the new media center, an 11,000 square foot stadium club area will be built. The stadium club will provide seating for purchasers of club seating as well as lounge seating, dining tables, beverages and catered food. The new pavilion will also provide for private suites.

The stadium club and pavilion areas are not expected to be completed until the start of the 2003 football season.

Current plans also include moving the offices of the John Purdue Club and the intercollegiate athletics marketing department from Mackey Arena into the football stadium pavilion.

The new press area and stadium club are part of the first phase of a proposed complete renovation of Ross-Ade. Although the new pavilion will make the actual size of the stadium bigger, it will result in the loss of about 5,000 seats. The entire $70 million phase also includes new seating areas as well as an expanded concourse at the base of the stadium.

Additional plans call for the building of a 10,000-seat second deck built on the east side of the stadium, above the current student section. The implementation of that phase, along with the building of another second-story deck on the stadium's north side, depend upon ticket sales.

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Campus editor: Laura Pelner

Assistant campus editors: Kurt Esposito, Dave Stephens

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