DENTON, Texas (11/22/06) The University of North Texas athletics department has received a $1.5 million gift commitment from Shirley and Al Goldfield, Director of Athletics Rick Villarreal announced today. It is the largest gift ever donated to North Texas athletics and will be used primarily in the development of a plan for a proposed football stadium adjacent to the current Mean Green Athletics Center.
“Shirley and I have been impressed with the improvements that have been made with the athletic programs and facilities at North Texas and felt that it was time for us to get involved with our time and resources,” Al Goldfield said. “We admire the clear vision of Athletic Director Rick Villarreal and President Gretchen Bataille and believe in their direction for North Texas athletics. We are confident that our commitment will encourage others to join the effort and be involved.”
The Goldfields are longtime Denton County residents and supporters of the University. Al Goldfield is the founder and former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer for CellStar Corporation, a leader in the wireless communication industry.
“It is a remarkable compliment to the type of people that Al and Shirley are when they make such a generous donation to this University and this athletics department,” Villarreal said. “It is a validation to the direction of this program and it will benefit the interests of our student-athletes and the entire Mean Green community for generations.”
The proposed football stadium would be the pinnacle of several facilities projects that were initiated by Villarreal’s original “Soaring to Victory” capital campaign endeavor. The recently-completed Waranch Tennis facility was built from $1.4 million donation by
North Texas alumnus Ronald Waranch. The 47,000 square foot
Mean Green Athletic Center and adjacent football practice facility was built with the assistance of a $1 million gift by
Houston businessman Jim McIngvale as well as several six-figure private donations. Including the
Mean Green Village, which hosts facilities for Golf, Soccer, Softball and Volleyball, the athletics department has experienced nearly $18 million worth of facilities upgrades since 2003.
