MEMORANDUM
 
Date: Jan. 17, 2015 
 
To: University Community 
 
From: Pete Garcia, Executive Director of Sports and Entertainment
 
Subject:  Over $50 Million in improvements to athletic facilities 
 

---

In the ever-changing landscape of college athletics, constant improvements need to be made to breed championship programs. Over the past eight years, the FIU Athletic Department has made a number of improvements to its facilities, including work funded by a current $2 million fundraising campaign to support women's sports that will push the total commitment over $50 million. The goal is to provide a top-level NCAA Division I experience for our student-athletes and fans.  
 
We are constantly working towards creating a culture of success in the FIU Athletic Department. It starts with our facilities and the support system that we have in place for each and every student-athlete. We want our student-athletes to have the best possible experience during their time at FIU. Our commitment to them is the number one priority. We also want to ensure that our fans have a great experience. They are the ones who create a home-field advantage for our student-athletes.
 
As part of the improvements, every locker room at FIU is being upgraded, with softball, women's tennis, sand volleyball and women's golf currently in the works. The FIU softball program had Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium upgraded last season, including the addition of an elevated grandstand behind home plate. The stadium extends towards the first and third base dugouts with bleachers rounding out the 476-seat venue. FIU will host this year's Conference USA Softball Tournament in the first-ever C-USA championship hosted by the Panthers. 
 
Facility upgrades play an important role in recruiting.
 
"How the facility has changed over the past few years gives us a huge advantage in recruiting over other schools," FIU Softball Head Coach Gator Rebhan said. "We have one of the best fields in the country. To combine that with our new stadium makes FIU incredibly desirable to recruits." 
 
The improvements to the softball stadium are part of a current women's campaign which will impact softball, golf, track & field, sand volleyball, tennis and swimming & diving. These improvements include, a new short-game practice area featuring a putting green and pitching area for women's golf, and student-athlete locker room for both golf and softball. Swimming & diving is currently having a new scoreboard installed at the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Center to enhance the team's ability to host meets and competitions.  
 
"The practice facility is really going to help us with recruiting," FIU Women's Golf Head Coach Joe Vogel said. "To be able to have a short-game facility being so close to the dorms should really help sharpen our game. For players to be able to come in and see that they have a place that close is really going to be a big plus." 
 
"We are happy to get our scoreboard," FIU Swimming & Diving Head Coach Randy Horner said. "The quality of the competitive experience is greatly enhanced by seeing your results and times immediately." 
 
There have been a number of improvements and enhancements to FIU's facilities over the past eight years, including work to the FIU Arena and the construction of Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium. 
 
"We have been extremely fortunate to have the ability to make these major facility investments over the last eight years to provide top caliber amenities for our student-athletes," Senior Woman Administrator and Senior Associate AD Julie Berg said. "And to ensure that fans and recruits also experience our commitment to success when they visit our campuses." 
 
Plans are currently in place to look at options to replace the seats in the FIU Arena. This work is expected to be completed within the next year. 
 
FIU Arena had some major work done to it during 2011. An 11,000 square-foot addition was completed and featured added concessions, box offices, restrooms, meeting rooms and merchandising areas. Two large 1,000 square-foot suites were also completed. A few years later, FIU completed the resurfacing of the court with its one-of-a-kind beach scene look. 
 
Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium was built in 2008. The stadium's first phase included a seating capacity of 18,000 and featured 1,440 club seats, a 6,500-square-foot Stadium Club, an upper concourse and 19 premium suites. Seating included both chair back and bench seating with backrests for fan convenience. In 2012, the old stands were removed from the stadium's north side with an additional 2,000 seats added to finish closing the lower bowl. Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium has hosted many events such as the 2009 and 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the annual Belen-Columbus football game, concerts, non-intercollegiate sporting events and other community activities. 
 
As part of the stadium project, the R. Kirk Landon Fieldhouse was completed in 2009. Named in honor of the former FIU Trustee, who has donated over $1 million to the Athletic Department, the 50,000 square-foot, two-story facility is the headquarters for the FIU football program and the Doctors Hospital Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Athletic Training Complex. Central to the fieldhouse is a 14,000-square foot, clear-span weight room that FIU student-athletes use for strength and conditioning. The facility also includes an equipment room, full-service athletic training facility, ticket office, and 8,500-square-feet of locker room space.
 
With many more projects and improvements on the horizon, FIU Athletics looks to continue to make strides towards giving each of its programs the best possible facilities.