Oct. 11, 2001
by Baylor Athletic Media Relations Student Assistant Justin Cange
Even as the Bears work to improve the product on the field, the Baylor football program is also taking steps off the field towards improving the state of the program for the future. The most noticable step in this fashion has been the new locker room at Floyd Casey Stadium.
Baylor?s athletic venues and facilities have undergone a big facelift in the past three years and with the completion of this latest project, Baylor has made a bold statement about the football team?s commitment to win and return to glory.
A $1.8 million renovation to the football team's locker room, equipment room, training room and weight room was completed in early August. The new locker room is 8,000 square feet, holds 120 wooden lockers and has two 61-inch televisions. There are 12 TVs in total and over 50 more lockers than the old locker room.
Renovations began on the new locker room following the 2000 season. The training room grew from 2,500 square feet to 4,000 and features a designated taping area adjacent to the varsity locker room. The weight room is now bigger by 3,000 square feet. In total, the new football facility is almost triple the size of the former one.
The new locker room is regarded as one of the biggest and best in the country. Fourteen leather couches will provide athletes a chance to unwind and the room includes a state-of-the-art air filtration system.
"The players are proud of this first-class facility," head coach Kevin Steele said. "This sends a message to the players that the administration does care about what they do."
The football facility renovations, added to the recent facility upgrades at Baylor?s other athletic complex -- the Jim and Julie Turner Riverfront Athletic Park -- demonstrate the school's commitment to improve and compete nationally. The recently completed Baylor Tennis Center along with Getterman Stadium (softball), Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field and Baylor Ballpark (baseball) have placed Baylor's facilities among the elite.
Upgrades are also underway at the Ferrell Center, where new coaches' and administrative offices were recently completed. The women's basketball locker room is also under renovation at the moment.
Other current projects include the Bear Ridge Golf Course and Bailey Golf Center and a new building at the Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex.
"From day one, the goal for our coaches and athletes was to build beautiful facilities to play in and recruit with," Athletic Director Tom Stanton said. "For five years we have been raising money with the intention to compete, not only against the Big 12, but the nation."
The new football addition comes on the heels of completion of the state-of-the-art luxury suites and Dave Campbell Media Center, which were finished before the 1999 season.
As for future improvements with Floyd Casey and other facilities, Stanton is focused on keeping the ball rolling.
"Other things are on the drawing board, we will make other enhancements," Stanton said. "I still feel that our football facility provides one of the most beautiful and friendly places to watch a game, however we want to work on fan amenities specifically with Floyd Casey Stadium. We will be working on improving the bathrooms in the next few years. At the same time we don?t want to lose focus on what Baylor stands for."
The improvements Baylor has made in Floyd Casey Stadium have sent a message to the alumni, community and the conference as a whole about the direction the program is headed.
"We are committed," Stanton said. "We recognize the pressures and we are putting forth the proper image. We have every intention of returning to our days of conference championships and bowl games. We ask for the same commitment from our fans, and we need their support."
