Charlotte 49ers’ future-ready master vision

Article posted by Coliseum, May 27^th, 2022

Image: Charlotte 49ers Athletic

The Charlotte Athletics (US) has unveiled the EverGreen Athletics Facilities Master Vision. EverGreen includes substantial upgrades to the existing facilities as well as the construction of new spaces to enhance the overall development of its entire program.

The ‘Charlotte 49ers Athletic’ stated that the Charlotte 49ers (football team) (US) has partnered with the American design practices HOK and Jenkins-Peer to develop an Athletic Facilities Master Vision.

The Charlotte 49ers football program represents the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte in college football. The UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees officially voted to add a football program on November 13^th, 2008, after a unanimous recommendation by the Football Feasibility Committee.

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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US) is a public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US. The flagship of the University of North Carolina system, it is considered a Public Ivy, or a public institution which offers an academic experience similar to that of an Ivy League university.

The Charlotte 49ers Athletic were guided by several principles:

Charlotte 49ers plan should address facility needs for all current and future sports;
The plan should be informed by input from all key user groups – student-athletes, coaches, staff, the University, and fans;
Long-term vision – a 12-15 year roadmap; and
Best interests of its student-athletes are the top priority.

The ‘Charlotte 49ers Athletic’ further stated that one of the primary reasons to craft an athletic facilities master vision is to be strategic about the sequence of facility projects – to be intentional and understand how they all fit together, as well as create efficiencies.

The Charlotte 49ers Athletic has identified a Phase I group of projects. Phase I needs to be completed to unlock the additional projects contained within.

Phase One

Jerry Richardson Stadium Expansion

The first expansion of the 15,314-capacity Jerry Richardson Stadium will provide additional access to 49ers games and significantly upgrade the fan experience by offering club seating, loge boxes, hospitality suites, an outdoor terrace, and mezzanine club as well as the traditional Press suite level. The initial stages of this project will push capacity over 21,000 while the ultimate objective of Phase I is to accommodate over 30,000 fans.

Highlights:

Stadium seating expansion;
Premium seating;
Team dining space;
Press facility upgrades;
New video tech/opportunities; and
Additional fan services.

Barnhardt-Halton Baseball Clubhouse

To move baseball operations entirely to the 1,100-capacity Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium, a new clubhouse will feature coaches’ offices, locker rooms, training room, and team spaces. The baseball clubhouse will sit on the right field line between the grandstand and indoor facility and will feature a terrace for fans to congregate and watch the games. In addition, baseball vacating the Wells Fargo Fieldhouse will create a home for the women’s lacrosse team.

Highlights:

Locker room;
Team offices;
Team lounge and support; and
Standing terraces.

Judy W. Rose Football Center Enhancement

New lockers maximize space for the football team and provide enhanced technology and equipment storage for over 100 student-athletes.

Highlights:

State-of-the-art lockers; and
Enhanced technology.

Men’s and Women’s Basketball Locker Rooms

The locker rooms for both the 49ers’ men’s and women’s basketball programs will undergo substantial renovations to allow for a heightened student-athlete experience. The new layouts will create more space and seating as well as player lounges and meeting space.

Highlights:

Renovated locker rooms

Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium

Phase I calls for the relocation of the playing venue for the Charlotte 49ers’ men’s and women’s soccer programs, which will take the programs back to their playing site before the construction of the Irwin Belk Track and Field Center/Transamerica Field in 1996. The soccer and lacrosse stadium will provide a spectacular new home for the 49ers’ national-caliber men’s and women’s soccer programs as well as the program’s newest sport – women’s lacrosse. The stadium will offer excellent fan amenities while bringing Niner Nation up close to all the onfield action. Prior to its completion, the lacrosse program will play its home games at the Jerry Richardson Stadium.

Highlights:

Dedicated stadium;
Fan services; and
Practice location.

Bob Daughtridge Softball Clubhouse

Adjacent to the Lewis Family Softball Training Facility behind the first baseline, the softball clubhouse will serve as the new home for 49ers softball, including spacious locker room and team meeting space, coaches’ offices and a training room. Softball’s departure from the Wells Fargo Fieldhouse also allows for future expansion of women’s sports within that facility.

Highlights:

Locker room;
Team offices; and
Team room and support.

Future projects:

Basketball Practice Facility and Student-Athlete Enhancement Center;
Irwin Belk Track and Field Center Enhancements;
Dale F. Halton Arena Enhancements;
Indoor Football Practice Facility;
Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium Expansion;
New Wells Fargo Fieldhouse; and
Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex Indoor Facility.

The intent of this Athletics Facilities Master Vision is to create a 12-15 year roadmap for Charlotte 49ers athletics and to prioritize and sequence the projects along with Charlotte 49ers fundraising approach. The projects identified in Phase I are necessary to fuel their transition to the American Athletic Conference and include plans for the addition of their 19^th sport -women’s lacrosse.

Two of the projects are already underway or completed – including improvements to the football locker room and the addition of a softball locker room and clubhouse facility.

The Phase I projects will pave the way for the addition of women’s lacrosse and provide additional revenue opportunities at the Richardson Stadium to continue to fund our growth as they enter the American Athletic Conference.

The total investment required to complete Phase I is $101,950,000.

The American Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference featuring 11 member universities and five affiliate member universities that compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Division I, with its football teams competing in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

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