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Post by efg72 on Oct 31, 2023 10:44:35 GMT -5
October 31, 2023
University of Rhode Island launches major initiative to enhance athletics facilities and programs
Private gifts will combine with recent state support to advance championship-caliber programs and upgrade Meade Stadium and other facilities
Rendering of Meade Stadium (Image credit/Populous)
KINGSTON, R.I.—Oct. 31, 2023—The University of Rhode Island is launching a major fundraising initiative to enhance athletics facilities and advance championship-caliber programs at the state’s flagship university. The multi-year effort aims to raise $20 million in philanthropic contributions.
Rendering, URI Track and Field Complex (Image credit/CHA)
The initiative will fund significant upgrades to several facilities, which will transform the student-athlete experience, offer enhanced fan experiences, and enable expanded community access. Private gifts will pair with $65.8 million in Rhode Island Capital Plan funding included in the 2024 state budget by Gov. Dan McKee and the Rhode Island General Assembly.
“We are stepping up to support our student-athletes in a significant way by investing in championship-caliber people and facilities,” said URI President Marc Parlange. “We are grateful to Gov. McKee, House Speaker Shekarchi, Senate President Ruggerio, and all our elected leaders for their support. Our student-athletes work tirelessly. They represent our University and our state on a national stage. And they are a huge source of pride— not just for URI, but for all of Rhode Island.”
The effort will initially target longstanding issues with Meade Stadium, Tootell Aquatic Center, the outdoor track and field facilities, the baseball and softball fields, and the soccer complex.
“Our student-athletes work incredibly hard to meet their academic and athletic goals and to represent URI,” said Thorr Bjorn, director of athletics. “We need facilities that stand out among our peers to give every student-athlete the best chance to succeed and to allow our coaches to recruit top talent to URI. I know the passion is there from our alumni, fans, and friends—we now have a unique chance to work together to make big things happen.”
The broad fundraising initiative will help spur URI’s competitive success in intercollegiate athletics. Facilities improvements also will expand recreational opportunities for all URI students, through increased space and time for club and intramural teams and students.
Community members and organizations also will benefit from improved recreational facilities at the University. URI is a proud host of the Special Olympics state games. Those teams and athletes will be better served through improved facilities, and enhancements also will enable the University to host high school competitions and other statewide events.
To learn more about contributions to URI Athletics, contact Associate Athletic Director for Development Garrett Waller at 401-874-5287 or gwaller@uri.edu.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Oct 31, 2023 11:12:50 GMT -5
Don't think FBS will be in the cards at URI...but you never know.
There are rumblings now that Delaware and UMass might both join CUSA for all sports. Maybe there would be a path for URI to follow their New England A-10 rival into that hodgepodge collection of warm G5 bodies.
That would be something. 12 years ago, Rhode Island was on the brink of dropping football from the CAA to the NEC.
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 31, 2023 11:52:51 GMT -5
URI jonesing to become the third New England FBS Independent, joining the two states that are hemming them in against the Ocean. Perhaps staff heard that when you go FBS everyone stays in their same job but gets a pay raise.
It would make more sense from a recent football success basis for UNH to make the jump to FBS, but they are in the Tax Free or Die State so little chance of it happening.
I do think State money for State facilities is more justifiable than State money to build a new PawSox stadium would have been.
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Post by hc1996 on Oct 31, 2023 12:52:36 GMT -5
FBS URI is not intriguing. Have they not paid attention to UMass and UConn? I hope they have. I know it sounds crazy to most, perhaps not on this board, but I find where we are in the FCS now far more appealing than being a low level FBS team. URI should focus on competing with HC and UNH.
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Post by sader1970 on Oct 31, 2023 14:14:24 GMT -5
I guess I'm going to have to pay more attention to the local news (rumors?) as I haven't heard this at all but maybe because my attention is too focused on things north on Rt. 146?
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Post by timholycross on Oct 31, 2023 14:43:24 GMT -5
Time for RF1 to offer his insight. From what I can see, the word FBS is nowhere to be found. Renovating Meade Stadium comes with a goal to make it comparable with other CAA stadia, which is in the 10-15 K range. keaneyblue.com/viewtopic.php?t=9712 The articles do indirectly point out what $ it's going to take to modernize Fitton. |
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Post by rf1 on Oct 31, 2023 15:00:07 GMT -5
There is zero chance that URI will be upgrading to FBS.
These much needed upgrades will only bring facilities closer to typical FCS standards.
URI operates most sports on a shoestring budget and has long had many neglected sports venues. The school's operation has always been cash strapped. It is one of the least supported state flagship universities (across all aspects) in the US. To counter this, it very actively tries to recruit a high number of out of state students (MA/CT/NY/NJ) as it can charge higher tuition rates. It is only just a bit over 50% of its enrollment from within RI which is very atypical for a state flagship school (UMass and UConn are over 72% in state).
Meade Stadium has been deficient for decades. Due to structural and fire egress issues, the upper sections of the east stands were covered over in recent years reducing capacity. These stands have failed inspections in the past and required continuing work before being allowed to be used many seasons. The upper sections were just reopened as additional new stairways were added to address inadequate egress.
The outdoor track was condemned decades ago and hasn't been used since then. The school does however have a very nice indoor track facility.
The 20 year old Boss Ice Arena was just recently shut down in August as the ice making system completely failed and needed a total overhaul. The club team had to practice and play all around the state having to go so far as Pawtucket. They are hoping to get it back open on November 6th after several delays.
The only sport that URI, the state, and its alumni/fans have financially supported at a decent level is men's basketball. It however took an Elite-8 and alumnus governor to get the state to support the building of the 7,657 seat Ryan Center which opened back in 2002. Even then, the state only really contributed about 1/3 toward the $54M cost of construction. The state backed and floated bonds for another 1/3 which was required to be paid off by venue revenues and student fees which is still ongoing. The other 1/3 cost was private donations. URI did not have a separate dedicated practice space until just the beginning of this season. It was at a disadvantage not having one as all the high profile schools along with much of the A-10 already had such facilities. It was one of the items Dan Hurley had really wanted before going to UConn. It took six more years after Hurley's departure and some $8M, all in private donations, to carve out and renovate existing space in a building attached to the Ryan Center to create the new Soloviev Family Basketball Practice Facility.
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Post by longsuffering on Nov 1, 2023 11:43:59 GMT -5
Great report. State frugality is balanced by the fact that URI was smart enough to get into the A-10 which for MBB is at the top of all the mid-major conferences represented in New England.
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Post by timholycross on Nov 1, 2023 15:14:11 GMT -5
There is zero chance that URI will be upgrading to FBS.
These much needed upgrades will only bring facilities closer to typical FCS standards.
URI operates most sports on a shoestring budget and has long had many neglected sports venues. The school's operation has always been cash strapped. It is one of the least supported state flagship universities (across all aspects) in the US. To counter this, it very actively tries to recruit a high number of out of state students (MA/CT/NY/NJ) as it can charge higher tuition rates. It is only just a bit over 50% of its enrollment from within RI which is very atypical for a state flagship school (UMass and UConn are over 72% in state).
Meade Stadium has been deficient for decades. Due to structural and fire egress issues, the upper sections of the east stands were covered over in recent years reducing capacity. These stands have failed inspections in the past and required continuing work before being allowed to be used many seasons. The upper sections were just reopened as additional new stairways were added.
The outdoor track was condemned decades ago and hasn't been used since then. The school does however have a very nice indoor track facility.
The 20 year old Boss Ice Arena was just recently shut down in August as the ice making system completely failed and needed a total overhaul. The club team had to practice and play all around the state having to go so far as Pawtucket. They are hoping to get it back open on November 6th after several delays.
The only sport that URI, the state, and its alumni/fans have financially supported at a decent level is men's basketball. It however took an Elite-8 and alumnus governor to get the state to support the building of the 7,657 seat Ryan Center which opened back in 2002. Even then, the state only really contributed about 1/3 toward the $54M cost of construction. The state backed and floated bonds for another 1/3 which was required to be paid off by venue revenues and student fees which is still ongoing. The other 1/3 cost was private donations. URI did not have a separate dedicated practice until just the beginning of this season. It was at a disadvantage not having one as all the high profile schools along with much of the A-10 already had such facilities. It was one of the items Dan Hurley had really wanted before going to UConn. It took six more years after Hurley's departure and some $8M, all in private donations, to carve out and renovate existing space in a building attached to the Ryan Center to create the new Soloviev Family Basketball Practice Facility.
URI gives a lot of breaks to Mass residents; when my daughter was applying to colleges it wasn't that much more than UMass would have been. Couldn't get her to go there, however. |
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Post by rf1 on Nov 2, 2023 12:32:38 GMT -5
To give you more perspective on why there is no chance that URI will go FBS, consider the fact that it is the ONLY New England state flagship that does not sponsor a varsity hockey program. The other five flagships all have D1 varsity programs that compete in Hockey East. URI fields men's and women's club teams that make their home at the on campus 2,500 bleacher seat Boss Arena.
If URI cannot support a D1 hockey program in a region where the sport is popular at many levels, how then could it support a FBS program in a region where college football (and levels beneath it) has less interest than other parts of the country.
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Post by hc87 on Nov 2, 2023 13:18:37 GMT -5
I actually went to the Ryan Center for the first time last night. A former player of mine, Cooper Creek, plays for Assumption. It's a really nice facility, would like to see another game there with a packed house. Drove by Meade which also looked good....looking forward to making the drive ovah the Newport Bridge again next Fall to see our Saders play there.
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Post by rf1 on Nov 2, 2023 14:18:22 GMT -5
I actually went to the Ryan Center for the first time last night. A former player of mine, Cooper Creek, plays for Assumption. It's a really nice facility, would like to see another game there with a packed house. Drove by Meade which also looked good....looking forward to making the drive ovah the Newport Bridge again next Fall to our Saders play there. You might have to wait some time for a packed house at the Ryan Center. The program is presently in a down cycle. Some of the best atmosphere games are those against Providence College every other year. Rhody however plays PC in Providence this year and does not host again until 2024 (the game is typically always the first Saturday in December). The place can get really loud when there are big crowds given it is built in a more vertical manner with all the seats close to the court. URI has averaged 5,118 over the 20 seasons the 7,657 seat venue has been open. As per the typical norm, higher attendance typically comes when the team and or opponent is good.
A past PC game:
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Post by steve81 on Nov 3, 2023 10:23:26 GMT -5
Don't think FBS will be in the cards at URI...but you never know. There are rumblings now that Delaware and UMass might both join CUSA for all sports. Maybe there would be a path for URI to follow their New England A-10 rival into that hodgepodge collection of warm G5 bodies. That would be something. 12 years ago, Rhode Island was on the brink of dropping football from the CAA to the NEC. The rumbling from the UMass side come from broadcasters during the UMass win over Army. If true, would expect any future expansion of CUSA to come from the west. |
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Post by timholycross on Nov 4, 2023 8:37:14 GMT -5
1 school in the mid South- Liberty
2 schools in KY/Tenn
1 Alabama
1 Florida
1 Louisiana
2 Texas/New Mexico (NM State and UTEP as close to each other as BU is to HC)
Not a good fit. And Umass' basketball program would be plunged further into obscurity.
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Post by steve81 on Nov 4, 2023 9:27:25 GMT -5
Fixed spacing but messed up and double post
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Post by steve81 on Nov 4, 2023 9:28:20 GMT -5
No G5 conference is ideal but will be a lateral for basketball, good for football and good east coast presence plus 2 teams around Nashville. Conference with top third, middle and last third Net ratings. A10: 114.5 / 160 / 207 CUSA: 110.75 / 165 / 188.75 (2023/24 membership) MAC: 119 / 224.5 / 304 UMass Delaware Liberty Kennesaw in Atlanta Georgia FIU in Miami Florida Western Kentucky MTSU Jacksonville Sam Houston UTEP NMSU Louisiana Tech |
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Post by southernsader on Nov 4, 2023 10:03:31 GMT -5
It is only 30 miles from Atlanta, but Kennesaw is in Kennesaw
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