Two major football projects were given Phase 1 approval on Friday afternoon by the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the South Carolina Board of Trustees. Friday was the first step to the construction of a football operations building adjacent to the new practice facilities and renovation to the East side of Williams-Brice Stadium.

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Both projects are at the early stages and neither has a firm start date or completion date. What Friday’s approvals did was show the school’s commitment and the Board’s initial vote of confidence in the projects.

Both projects will have to be brought before the full Board of Trustees at a later date for the full go-ahead and at that time, start and completion dates will become clear. The next time the full Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet is December 15.

“We’d like to continue to move forward as quick as possible. It does take time to go through Phase 1 and Phase 2,” athletics director Ray Tanner said. “Timing is very important and today’s action is very important to go through this process. We’re moving forward and the new football coach will have the opportunity to give input into this facility. While the amount of money that we spend is somewhat set, the new football coach will have an opportunity to be involved in the layout, design and so forth.”

The new facility will be located beside the new indoor football practice facility on the opposite side of the building as the outdoor practice fields.

The structure will be 105,000 square feet and have locker rooms, meeting rooms, training rooms and administrative offices. There will also be training rooms and hydrotheraphy as well as a catering kitchen and nutrition area.

The cost of the building could reach up to $50 million. Tanner told the partial Board that he believes in the next year, they’ll have the necessary funding to service the debt incurred on an annual basis.

“We have outgrown the space,” Tanner told the Board. “In the area of recruiting, facilities are very important. There’s a lot of pressure and demand there. It’s a much-needed facility.”

Plans and future full Board approval aren’t as firm for the East side renovations, which will include suites and renovations to the concourse. The proposal was a new concourse built above the existing one, which will include new concessions and restrooms.

The number of restrooms would double. The Board was told that currently, they’re operating at about 50 percent of code.

“We will not bring it to the full Board immediately,” Tanner said. “It will be later on. It’s not on the same schedule as the Football Operations Center.”

The project may not be brought before the full Board for a while though as South Carolina, especially with the Football Operations Building being a more pressing need, is inching towards the debt capacity.

Under the current proposal, South Carolina would lose approximately 771 seats but add 18 suites and three club areas.

Other notes

-- Approval was given for the construction of two film towers located at the north end of both practice football fields. They will stand 48 feet in the air and will be paid for by athletics operating funds.

-- Approval was also given to turn the space that used to be the old Bojangles into a VIP parking area. There will be approximately 57 spaces that are run by the university. Each spot will have cable and power hookups and will be surrounded by decorative metal and brick fencing. The project will cost approximately $800,000 and funded by the athletics operating budget. The school expects the return on its investment in approximately two years. Tanner told the Board that spaces, depending on demand, may cost up to $5,000.

