Chiles Foundation pledges donation for renovations

By The Beacon | October 26, 2011 9:00pm
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Men’s locker rooms and weight rooms will be renovated next spring

(-- The Beacon)

By Lesley Dawson Staff Writer dawson14@up.edu

On Oct. 1, the Chiles Foundation announced a $2 million pledge from Earl M. Chiles to renovate parts of the Chiles Center beginning next spring.

According to Athletic Director Larry Williams, the gift will finance three improvement projects: the renovation of the existing men's locker rooms, the expansion of the weight and training rooms and addition of storage for events.

The men's locker rooms were built 25 years ago, when UP had only half the student-athletes that it has today.

"The men's lockers are in terrible need of an upgrade," Williams said.

The gift will also expand both the weight and training rooms, which were last updated in 2008. Because of its size, the weight room can hold only one team at a time. The expansion will give teams more space and scheduling flexibility, according to Williams.

Sophomore cross country runner Lily Shafer is looking forward to the renovations, especially the expansion of the weight room.

"I think it's good," Shafer said. "It's needed because it gets cramped."

The donation will also be used to create a storage bay to hold the staging for events, such as speeches and graduations, hosted annually in the Chiles Center.

Also included in the expansion is a state-of-the-art study center for student-athletes.

The study space will provide athletes with an opportunity to efficiently use their time, according to Williams.

The men's basketball team is looking forward to the new locker rooms.

"After workout, it's nice to get back to an area that you want to spend time in," sophomore Ryan Nicholas said. "You want to be in a place that's comfortable that you can relax and enjoy your time in."

Freshman Kevin Bailey agrees.

"I think it will be fabulous," Bailey said.

Bailey said he will probably utilize the study center in Chiles because it will be convenient.

However, some athletes will not.

"I like to separate sports and academics, so if I do my academics where I do my sports, then it will be hard to do that," Nicholas said. "I don't get shots up in the library."

"We already spend enough time in Chiles," sophomore Korey Thieleke said. "We want to get away from it sometimes."

According to Williams, the gift from the Chiles Foundation is a significant donation from a recruiting standpoint.

"It allows us to have facilities that are on par with the best in the conference and therefore we can recruit against the best," Williams said. "Recruits will come on campus and see the commitment the institution makes to the athletic department and think ‘that's where I want to be.'"

Nicholas agrees.

"The more things you can show off to recruits the better chance you have to get them, that's just the nature of the beast," Nicholas said.


(-- The Beacon)

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