April 8, 2008

With the first floor foundation poured, the steel skeleton of the 96,300-square foot Simpson Athletics and Academic Center, the crown jewel of the Alwin O. and Dorothy Highers Athletics Complex, is beginning to take shape. Workers hope to have all of the steel installed by mid-May.

In addition to the on-going construction of the Simpson Center, permanent lights on the practice fields have been installed and the irrigation system is nearing completion.

"The Simpson Athletics and Academic Center is having a significant impact on recruiting and will afford Baylor student-athletes a facility that will make a tremendous contribution to their athletics, academic and personal development," said Baylor Director of Athletics Ian McCaw. "It is exciting to see the rapid progress of the Highers Athletics Center and hear from so many in the Baylor family regarding their enthusiasm for this project. We are looking forward to moving into this spectacular facility next October."

Ground was broken May 10, 2007, on the new $34 million state-of-the-art Alwin O. and Dorothy Highers Athletics Complex and the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center, which will allow Baylor football to return to campus for the first time in nearly 50 years when it is completed in fall 2008. The new complex, which will bring to campus all functions previously housed at Floyd Casey stadium, is being built near the on-campus Turner Riverfront Complex on University Parks Drive.

Below are artist's inside renderings of the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center.