9/24/2009
McNeese State broke ground Thursday afternoon for an $8.25 million renovation and expansion of the Jack V. Doland field house. Bids for the construction will be opened next month and work is expected to begin soon after.
The current facility, built in 1965 and last renovated in 1975, includes 17,834 square feet. The new construction project will add 29,238 square feet including a second floor to almost double the space of the current facility.
Also a part of the existing field house but a separate building is the Dowell “Doc” Fontenot Sports Medicine Center which was added to the complex in 2000.
The field house is named after the late Dr. Jack Doland, a former state senator as well as McNeese president from 1980 to 1986. He was also a McNeese alumnus, athlete and head football coach and is a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
“Over the past 40 years, the current athletic field house has remained virtually unchanged despite continual growth of the university’s athletic programs and the number of student-athletes and staff it serves,” said McNeese president Dr. Robert Hebert. “A modern field house will enhance the environment of our student-athletes and would assist the athletics department in recruitment.”
Key features of the field house project include an expanded weight room, expanded locker room, additional team meeting rooms, additional offices, a media room, an academic resource center, additional conference rooms, expanded ticket office, indoor club room, Hall of Fame lobby and outdoor seating area.
“The field house is the home for McNeese athletics,” said McNeese athletic director Tommy McClelland. “Athletic events take place in various venues across campus, but the field house serves as the heart of the program. This new field house will make a statement about the strength of the McNeese athletics program and inspire pride in the athletes, students and the community.”
C. Gayle Zembower of Lake Charles is the architect for the project.
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