Summer is traditionally a time for construction and sporting venues around Iowa State and Ames have no shortage of improvement projects this year.

Jack Trice Stadium, Hilton Coliseum and Veenker Memorial Golf Course are all updating, and an entirely new golf course is being built along South 16th Street. This December, construction will begin on the brand new $8.72 million indoor athletic training facility that will be located west of the Jack Trice Stadium.

VAN DE VELDE’S MASTER PLAN

In the last 10 years, several improvements have taken place on Iowa State’s sporting venues. The sparkling new Jacobson Athletic building opened in7 1996, giving ISU football a new home. Jack Trice Stadium received improvements on the press box in 1997 and 23 new skybox suites were added. The stadium also used to have artificial turf until then-athletics director Gene Smith had it torn up to put in grass in the early ’90s. A new jumbo-tron adorned Hilton Coliseum along with several new scoreboards in 1998.

After two years on the job, Athletic Director Bruce Van De Velde is now leading a new wave of improvements on sporting facilities.

Van De Velde said in a recent interview that the improvements, as well as his fundraising goals, are part of a “master plan.” He said the plan includes a new academic learning center for all student-athletes, an outdoor track for ISU track and field and improvements to the concourse level of Hilton Coliseum – including sports memorabilia and displays for the public to view.

There has also been talk of a new practice facility for the basketball and volleyball teams, construction to enclose the south end of Jack Trice Stadium with permanent stadium seats and adding 2,000 seats to Hilton, but Van De Velde has said those projects are for the future.

Over the summer, Hilton Coliseum has received some improvements as well. The north steps have been widened, new restrooms were added and several small bushes were added in a landscaping project around the base of the building.

The new indoor practice facility is the next item on the agenda for Van De Velde and the Board of Regents gave the green light on the project last week when they approved plans and budget for the new structure.

The building will be constructed over the existing artificial turf practice field. ISU officials expect it to be completed in November of 2003, hopefully just in time to be used for bowl game preparations if the Cyclones are that fortunate.

The 92,000 square-foot building will be funded through private gifts raised by the athletic department and the ISU Foundation.

The structure will have elements to match the Jacobson Athletic Building, including the same type of metal roof and a center spine down the center of the roof.

Van De Velde said the building will be multi-purpose and could accommodate career fairs, tailgating, banquets and Special Olympics and Iowa Games functions in addition to the football team’s use for practice.

“The team will be able to punt and kick in the facility,” said Van De Velde, who issued an abbreviated statement on his way to Big 12 Football meetings in Texas.

RDG Bussard Dikis of Des Moines and CDFM Architecture of Kansas City were selected as the architecture firms for the project. Al Oberlander, architect at RDG Bussard Dikis said he is pleased with the plans that were drawn up considering the budget of the plan. He said the structure will be unique, but will fit in well with surrounding buildings visually.

“When you look at it compared to other facilities on other college campuses, it is unique,” Oberlander said. “This one is very prominent. It’s part of the front door of the university.”

“It’s a different and unique approach from what you would normally see from this type of building,” he said.

He said the flexibility of the facility will accommodate many functions.

“I think the best part about it is the flexibility that are being designed in it,” Oberlander said. “It’s a practice facility but it can be used for different ways. The idea for using it for other things is one of the real nice things about it.”

Oberlander said his firm has done several projects around the country, including the Lied Recreation Center.

COLDWATER GOLF LINKS

Legacy Golf Associates of Ames is currently constructing a brand new 7,007-yard par 71 Scottish- style golf course to the north of South 16th Street in Ames.

Marvin Walter, a partner in Legacy Golf, said the 18-hole multi-million dollar project will sit on a 155-acre plot and will be relatively free of trees.

He the public course will mimic those in Scotland, bringing a new aspect of the game to this area.

“There will be a substantial amount of wetlands and rough area that you’ll want to keep the ball out of, but it will be a links-style approach. It offers golfers a different kind of challenge, a different type of opportunity to play the game.”

Completion is underway now as Nieber Golf of Colorado Springs, Colo. has erected a maintenance building and landscaped two substantial lakes.

“We hope it’s one of the best [courses] in the central part of the United States,” Walter said. “We have invested and done some rather unique things in the golf course.”

NEW BUILDING AT VEENKER

A new shelter is being built at Ames’ Veenker Golf Course. Tess Balsley, the clubhouse manager at Veenker, said it was to be built east of the clubhouse will be a great addition. She said it was needed to accommodate golf outings and other events.

“What we currently have right now is an asphalt pad and an Iowa State tent,” Balsley said. “It can only seat about 60 people comfortably.”

Balsley said the building materials will cost approximately $12,000 and the whole project will be under $20,000 – a good value, she said. She said it will hold up to 120 people comfortably and could be used for catered events.

“It’s a lot nicer facility to use that a tent,” Balsley said. “It’s basically just a park-type shelter, to serve the outings.”

Construction has not been started yet, but the facility should be completed sometime this fall, Balsley said.