Funding
for new stadium passes halfway mark
Athletics department
on way to beginning construction by June 1
By John Weyand
Staff Reporter
In its sixth month of fund raising for the new TCU baseball facility,
the athletics department has surpassed the halfway mark and is pushing
to break ground by summer.
Associate athletic director Davis Babb said funding as of April
1 totals about $4 million, equaling about 58 percent of the $7 million
needed to pay for the new stadium. Since Feb. 2, benefactors have
contributed an additional $1.45 million, putting the athletics department
on pace to earn the 70 percent needed to begin construction by June
1.
TCU alumnus and chairman of the Baseball Stadium Steering Committee
Roger Williams said he is pleased with how fund raising has gone
so far.
When you think about how fast this fund raising has gone,
the support has been just phenomenal, Williams said. Its
a project that everybodys interested in.
Williams, who played and coached baseball at TCU, said the money
for the stadium has come together very quickly and that support
will continue to increase.
Were going downhill at 110 miles an hour, Williams
said. People are calling all the time, and once we put a hole
in the ground, more people are going to jump on board.
Of the seven-stage fund-raising campaign involving varied pledge
amounts and naming rights to several stadium components, Babb said
that recent contributions have not been limited to a specific area.
Its tough to pinpoint one area where most of (the funds)
have come from, Babb said. But I can tell you that pledges
have been made in everything from naming suites to buying plaques
on the backs of seats.
A main stage of the campaign is the $3.5 million cost of the rights
to name the facility. Babb said the steering committee and the athletics
department have approached numerous local corporations about the
opportunity but would not disclose the identities of the companies.
Wed rather those folks have an opportunity to consider
(contributing) without it becoming a media thing, Babb said.
The athletics department has also approached the Mabee foundation,
named for TCU alumni J.E. and L.E. Mabee, for a grant.
Babb
said officials for the foundation are scheduled to respond within
the upcoming weeks.
Also in the coming weeks of fund raising, the TCU baseball team
will play the Texas Longhorns at the sixth annual Battle at The
Ballpark. The game will be at 7:05 p.m. April 17 at the Ballpark
in Arlington.
Vice
Chancellor for University Advancement Bronson Davis said ticket
sales are expected to raise about $60,000.
Babb said substantial contributions will be made in the upcoming
weeks, and the athletics department hopes to have $4.9 million by
the end of April.
John Weyand
j.h.weyand@student.tcu.edu
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