The UA System Board of Trustees' physical properties committee approved on Thursday a revised Stage II budget along with Stage III and Stage IV in the construction for UAB's football operations building.

The board gave its full approval on Friday morning.

Head football coach Bill Clark has shown recruits some renderings for a facility. Now, they are about to become a reality. Construction, pending the full board approval, should start in mid-to-late August after construction bids are awarded.

"This is the game changer for us," Clark said. "When you start talking about, are you committed? Committed, the proof's in the pudding. A recruit can talk it, but does he do what he say and is he where he's supposed to be?

"This says our university is committed. With the Birmingham community, they say it and they stepped up with finances. That's proof in the pudding.

Stages I and II were approved during the February board meeting.

Since the stage II approval, UAB received a sponsorship in the amount of $4.2 million for the construction of a covered practice field from Legacy Community Federal Credit Union. The pavilion will be called Legacy Pavilion, with the sponsorship naming-rights deal lasting 20 years.

The base bid was $16.2 million. Now, the project will cost $22.5 million.

The first $20 million originally was to be covered by UAB bond funds with $2.5 million through gift funds.

Allen Bolton, UAB's vice-president of financial affairs, said during his presentation that commitments of more than $18 million in gifts had been secured as of Thursday morning. The number surpassed $19 million as of late Thursday afternoon.

"It's a humongous day and it changes the future going forward," said Justin Craft, a member of the UAB Athletics foundation and a key Birmingham business figure in helping return the program. "As an alum and a former player, I represent all the former players that have laid a foundation for this and we are extremely proud of were we are going as a program and as a city."

The project will be a 46,000 square foot two-story facility for coaches' offices, administrative offices and support space, team meeting rooms, player and coach locker rooms, hydrotherapy and training spaces, equipment storage, laundry facilities, a weight room, kitchen, dining area and study hall.

The base bid included a covered practice field. There is expected to be two turf fields and an additional 80-yard practice field with an equipment storage building.

The football operations building is expected to be completed by the start of the 2017 football season.

"We use one weight room for all of our sports teams," UAB athletics director Mark Ingram said. "We use one training room. By pulling 120 football players out of those spaces and giving them their own space in the operations building, it improves the schedules for all of our teams. We have people working out at 6 a.m. because that's the only time they have to get in the weight room."

UAB returns to the gridiron in the fall of 2017, but will continue practice this fall and have three open scrimmages. Clark said that the team should be able to practice in an area not affected by construction early in the fall and move most practices to Legion Field in November.

Next spring, they could be practicing on some turf fields.

This facility improvement @Coach_Townsend and @uabsoftball are getting looks fantastic pic.twitter.com/ATSC72FzGw — Drew Champlin (@DrewChamplin) June 16, 2016

UAB softball also got some good news, as Stages II and III for a new grandstand and press box were approved.

After full board approval, that project will be finished by the start of the 2017 season.

"You've heard me say that I intend to build a new facility or renovate a new facility for all of our sports teams," Ingram said. "This is just a start. There's a domino effect here with the track and beach volleyball team to look at and see what's next. We have plans to finish off the soccer stadium that's already been approved. We're moving right along."

There are obstacles, as foundation member Hatton Smith outlined earlier this month, but the hope is that a downtown stadium by the BJCC will get built.

"We're not stopping," Craft said. "We're going to continue investing in Birmingham. We're going to work hard and hope that the stadium gets accomplished and work hard to continue excellence for this program and transition pledges."