Light The Tower: UNT Announces Master Plan
10/1/2018 5:00:00 AM | General
DENTON - North Texas is launching the largest athletics-facilities project in school history: the Light The Tower Master Plan. This bold, ambitious project will span 20 years, spawn new game and practice venues, dramatically upgrade support for student-athletes and build the athletic program to new heights, Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker announced Monday.
"In order to deliver on our promise of Building Champions and Preparing Leaders, our commitment to the spaces where holistic development takes place is critical," said Baker, the architect of the Light The Tower Master Plan. "This plan will provide a comprehensive roadmap to address the long term needs of all 16 athletic programs and to our student-athletes. We embarked on an 18 month process committed to comprehensive research of trends in athletic facility development, along with a needs assessment of existing athletic facilities on our campus."
The inspiration for the project title comes from most iconic symbol of victory on the UNT campus, the lighting of the Administration Building's tower.
The Master Plan consists of short-term and future projects, based on anticipated needs and sequencing to achieve the desired results. Ongoing evaluations will occur that could impact prioritization of projects, along with donor interest, which will be essential to completion of the Master Plan.
The short-term projects consist of:
- a soccer and track venue near the Waranch Tennis Complex;
- an indoor practice facility located next to the Athletic Center and Victory Hall;
- an expansion of the Athletic Center that includes relocation of the academic and student-athlete services center, expansion of facilities for sports medicine, strength and conditioning, administrative and coaches offices, and the football locker room and equipment room;
- relocation of Apogee Stadium's scoreboards, adding four corner video boards and removing the south end zone video board to free up space for the Athletic Center expansion and future Apogee seating additions.
Subsequent proposed projects would include an arena for basketball and volleyball, a stadium for baseball, a natatorium, an indoor tennis facility, a new and reoriented softball stadium, a relocated soccer practice field and a tailgating park across from Apogee Stadium.
All the facilities will be located in the Mean Green Village, the area south of I-35E on either side of South Bonnie Brae Street and north of Willowwood Street. Construction is already underway on the soccer and track venue and the indoor practice facility.
The Master Plan's debut is marked by a website, www.lightthetower.com, and a full-color booklet.
