Basketball practice facility in K-State's future
Mark Janssen Senior Sports Writer
1/24/2007 1:28:51 PM
Returning to "basketball school" status is going to be costly to Kansas State University and its fans.
Coach Bob Huggins put in a polite plug for a practice facility during a teleconference a week ago. "There's not any question that our people here realize the need for a practice facility,. he said. "It's not a big deal in recruiting, but we need to continue to upgrade our facilities, and we're working diligently to do that."
The most recent meeting on such a facility was on Monday with the Kansas City-based HOK architecture firm.
"We're trying to take a logical sequential look at all our needs for the next 10, 15 and 20 years, and as we speak today, a practice gym and corresponding support areas are near the top of our immediate plans," said athletics director Tim Weiser. "It's difficult to say what that time frame is, but we're working on how we can make this work financially."
Ideally, Weiser would like to construct a limestone "front-door" setting to the west side of Bill Snyder Family Stadium and Bramlage Coliseum. The cost would range between $20 million and $50 million depending on what would be included.
"That's a huge number for us to crunch and make sure it makes sense in the long haul," Weiser said.
"I think our baseball stadium is a great example of the strong message a stone look can send and how it matches the look of the rest of the campus," Weiser said. "We need to find that look for our football and basketball facilities."
In part, the construction would include a practice gymnasium with two basketball courts on the lower level, plus the replacing of the concession and restroom areas on the south end of the stadium. Also being considered are meeting rooms for the student-athletes and a hall of fame setting.
"Our facility (Bramlage) is not just an athletic facility," Weiser said. "We have to work around graduations, concerts and Landon Lectures. I believe that we're one of only a few schools in the Big 12 that does not have a practice facility."
Weiser noted that football has an indoor facility, plus three outdoor fields. "We need to give our basketball coaches more room for individual training and the assurance that their seasons will not be disrupted by other events," he said.
Fans will help pay
A portion of the funding for a construction project will come from the preferred seating plans Kansas State is offering.
This year that includes 25 courtside seats priced at $4,000 each, plus the cost of the basketball ticket.
Next year, associate athletics director kurt McGuffin indicates that more courtside seats will likely be added, plus sky-boxes that will be positioned in the top 10 rows of Sections 17 through 21 on the east side of the arena.
The 10 to 12 boxes, for 8 to 10 fans per box, will be priced at $3,000 per seat, plus the cost of the ticket. As with the football suites, a catering and alcohol menu will be available.
"We have a couple very firm commitments and the interest list is growing daily," McGuffin said.
McGuffin also indicated that the row of seats behind press row on the opposite side of the team benches will be sold for $1,500 per seat, plus the cost of the season ticket.
"This is all being driven from a financial standpoint and is an equity issue," Weiser said. "People should be rewarded for their support.
Football improvements
Bill Snyder Family Stadium will be given an extra dose of limestone for the 2007 season. A wall will be constructed around the base of the stadium.
In addition, the 40-year-old wooden bleachers and aluminum chairback seats will be replaced in the lower level of the stadium with all aluminum benches and chairbacks.
"These are the original seats in the stadium," Weiser said. "With the aluminum seats, we ran out of repair parts a long time ago."
