Ariy-El Boynton

Oct. 18 could be a banner day for SDSU athletics. Executive Vice President for Administration Mike Reger will make a pitch to the Board of Regents requesting permission to build a large multi-purpose sports complex near the north end of the Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.

The plan would replace the existing locker rooms at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.

“For forever, everyone has known that we needed to replace our locker rooms for men’s football,” said Fred Oien, SDSU athletic director, “and the north end zone facility has that component in it. Then we took a look at other things that maybe could be efficiencies if we moved other sports in the same building.”

Space for football locker rooms, sports medicine, additional locker rooms, team rooms, academic rooms, multi-purpose rooms, exhibits for athletic teams and a computer lab are tentatively planned for the new building.

“It will expand our services to student-athletics,” Oien said.

Funding for the complex will come strictly from private donors; no state, county, city or student dollars would be used for what Oien said could be up to a 30,000 square-foot structure. There has been no set dollar mark on the project, but it could reach the multi-million dollar mark.

The project would free up room in other athletic facilities.

“We free up Frost Arena and gives us an opportunity to move some people out of this building (Frost) to free up office space,” Oien said.

If the project is green-lighted by the state Legislature, it could start as early as 2008, and finish by 2010 or 2009 at the earliest.

Several factors came into the decision to build the project, Oien said. One of the bigger reasons was the treatment of the student athlete. The quality experience was a huge reason for the athletic department to build the complex.

“It’s a tremendous statement to recruits about what kind of program we are,” Oien said.