University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Student-Athlete Center For Excellence Frequently Asked Questions
October 2, 2009 | Football
Oct. 2, 2009
What is the Carolina Student-Athlete Center For Excellence?
The Carolina Student-Athlete Center For Excellence is a new facility that will be constructed in the east end zone of Kenan Stadium. The facility will include a new and expanded academic support center for all student-athletes, a home for the Carolina Leadership Academy, a new Olympic Sports strength and conditioning room, a visiting team locker room, a men's lacrosse locker facility, athletic department office space, bays for TV satellite trucks and premium seating for game days at Kenan Stadium. The facility is Phase II in the Master Plan for Kenan Stadium.
How much will Phase II cost?
The Carolina Student-Athlete Center For Excellence will cost an estimated $70-85 million.
Who will pay for the project?
The Carolina Student-Athlete Center For Excellence will be funded from the lease of suites and club seating and a private capital campaign featuring naming opportunities within the facility. No state money or tuition assessments will be used to finance the project.
What is the timeline for completion of the project?
Carolina began the public sales phase of the project October 3, 2009. The athletic department will seek final approval to begin the project from the UNC Board of Trustees when the necessary funding is secured.
Why renovate Kenan Stadium?
Completing the Master Plan for Kenan Stadium is critically important to the financial future of Carolina Athletics. The plan includes major enhancements that will benefit the entire athletic department and campus community, including:
- 360-degree concourse (Phase II)
- Reforestation and landscaping of the Kenan Woods surrounding the stadium (all phases)
Now more than 80 years old, Kenan Stadium is a campus treasure that continues to evolve. The University of North Carolina has an important obligation to keep Kenan Stadium a modern stadium that fans will enjoy for decades to come and great care will be taken to modernize the stadium while retaining its historical integrity.
Why build a new academic center?
Carolina has the largest number of student athletes in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the current academic center, which was built in the 1980s at a size of 10,000 square feet, is one of the smallest in the league. The proposed academic center will be nearly 30,000 square feet and will be the largest in the conference. The center will house multiple classrooms for teaching and tutoring, a state-of-the-art computer lab, a writing lab, reading rooms and office space.
Why build the Carolina Student-Athlete Center For Excellence now?
After the Athletic Department delayed the South side project in March 2009 due to economic considerations, UNC officials examined the Master Plan, and determined that building in the east end zone was the most responsible and feasible project to construct. The east end zone project is not as costly, and also achieves our goals of providing an academic support center and generating a long-term revenue source for the athletic department.
Why is Carolina selling premium seating at Kenan Stadium?
Market research conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, at the request of the athletic department in 2005, revealed substantial desire by Tar Heel fans for enhanced seat locations at Kenan Stadium, including suites and club seating. The athletic department conducted another survey in November 2007, which also indicated a strong desire for premium seating. Once the construction costs are recovered, revenue from the new premium seating will be available to support facility upgrades and other costs for our other 27 varsity sports.
How many suites and club seats are planned?
Named "The Blue Zone," Carolina's premium seating area will consist of 20 suites on the fifth floor of the Carolina Student-Athlete Center For Excellence. Each suite features 16 seats. The upper club, located on the fourth floor, features 812 outdoor club seats, as well as 112 loge seats. The concourse club offers 1,986 seats, which are located just a few feet from the end line.
Will the capacity of Kenan Stadium change?
The addition of premium seating will increase Kenan Stadium's capacity from 60,000 to approximately 63,000.
What is the sales price for each level of premium seating?
Will the renovations change the appearance of Kenan Stadium?
Nestled among the pine trees, Kenan Stadium has often been described as the most picturesque stadium in college football. The proposed changes will only enhance and beautify the stadium. Dramatic upgrades to the landscaping surrounding Kenan Stadium are included in the Master Plan. Those upgrades include a reforestation of the woods immediately surrounding Kenan Stadium. More than 1,000 trees will be planted in the wooded areas around the stadium. The woods also will serve as gathering spaces on game days and will be used on a daily basis by students, faculty and staff accessing South campus.
How often has Kenan Stadium received a major renovation?
Since its construction in 1927, Kenan Stadium has undergone a number of renovations and changes. The original stadium seated 24,000 people. In 1963, the stadium was expanded to 48,000 with the addition of the upper deck and permanent bleachers in the west end zone. In 1979, seating capacity was increased to 50,000. In 1988, a new press box and chancellor's box were replaced and an additional 2,000 seats were added, increasing capacity to 52,000. In 1996-97, a new playing field, a new facility for the football team and a preferred seating box were constructed. An additional 8,000 seats were added in the lower bowl bringing capacity to 60,000. In 2003, a video scoreboard was placed in front of the old Kenan Field House on the east end. Following the 2008 season, a fifth floor was added to the Kenan Football center in the west end zone and the building was renovated.
Who are the architects of the project and what are their credentials?
The primary architects of the project are Corley Redfoot Zack (CRZ) of Chapel Hill and Heery International of Atlanta. CRZ has been responsible for numerous Carolina athletic venues, including the 1997 expansion of Kenan Stadium, the Dean E. Smith Center and the new Boshamer Stadium. Heery was the architect for several recent college football stadium expansions, including Virginia, Georgia, Florida and Texas. Architect Peter Schaudt of Chicago was consulted for landscaping. Architect Robert M. Stern of New York was consulted on the exterior façade.
