First look at Sports Center builds excitement
The interior of the Sports Center was toured today by various members of the campus and local community. Photo by Jeffrey Davis
February 17, 2016
The $11.4 million CSUSM Sports Center opened its doors for a private viewing of the facility in advance of the highly anticipated fall grand opening.
The gym, which seats 1,400 people, welcomed athletic staff, construction crew members, media and community members for a private tour and lunch on Feb. 17.
“I couldn’t have wished for anything more. Every detail has been thought of,” Athletic Director Jennifer Milo, said. “This is the nicest facility in the CCAA.”
The 25,000 square foot construction project, which was slated for a June or July completion date, is five months ahead of schedule with only last minute touch-ups needing completion.
“This has been a labor of love,” Milo said. “This could not have gone any smoother.”
According to the Project Manager for Planning, Design and Construction, Steve Watters, “The driving factor [behind the early completion] was the tight schedule and everybody working well together.”
“The first or second week of March [is] where we’ll actually have ownership of this building,” he said.
The new facility is now home to an expanded sports medicine training room and a lounge for student athletes. The walls of the team area feature huge cutouts of CSUSM athletes, including graduating baseball player Brandon Bentson.
Student athletes will have to wait until after fall to have full access to the lounge area and locker rooms that are home to not just basketball and volleyball, but all sports.
In addition to the relocation of locker facilities, women’s basketball, men’s basketball and volleyball offices will be relocated to the state of the art facility beginning in March.
When attendees enter the ticket office side of the building opposite the athletes-only portion, they will be greeted by a large Cougar insignia on the wall to the right and an Athletics Hall of Fame display to the left.
A few steps further into the Sports Center leads to the entrance of the pride and joy of the facility, the court itself.
Immediately, the presence of the team colors are evident. The blue bleachers, color on the walls, and accents jump out, making it clear to all who enter that this is Cougar territory.
“This university believed in our student-athletes enough to make this happen,” Milo said. “It’s done at a time in our country where, financially, things are [difficult] and fees are being raised, and yet our university took the opportunity to say this was important.”
Sept. 1 is the projected date for the ribbon cutting ceremony and inaugural volleyball game, during which our athletes will secure a highly anticipated home court advantage.
“This is for all of the students. We haven’t had that rallying point [before],” Milo said.
The student population will witness for the first time the home court atmosphere as well as opportunities to win prizes and food.
The new Sports Center will reduce commute times because students will no longer be forced to attend “home” games at off-campus facilities, such as MiraCosta College for basketball games.
This will make athletics more accessible to a wider range of students. Upon opening, the precedent is set for CSUSM to develop a game day culture on campus.
“We really tried to create an atmosphere in which [all students are] going to come in here and they’re just going to have fun,” Milo said.
