By Kenny Lannou, K-State Athletics Communications
With the Kansas State football team set to report on Wednesday for the 2015 season, K-State Athletics has officially opened the new Vanier Family Football Complex as Wildcat coaches and staff have moved into the building and football student-athletes were provided initial access to the facility.
“It is a great day for K-State as the beautiful new Vanier Family Football Complex is operational and open for our football staff and student-athletes,” said Athletics Director John Currie. “This new facility is another example of our commitment to a World-Class Student-Athlete Experience and being a Model Intercollegiate Athletics Program while furthering our position as a leader at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. We appreciate the flexibility of our staff during this process and also the hard work and hustle of our design and construction management teams as well as all of our donors who helped make this project a reality. It was truly a team effort, and I know this is a facility that the K-State Nation will be proud of and will be the envy of all other programs.”
The 132,000 square-foot building, completed in just seven months by the construction management team of Mortenson & GE Johnson Construction and in conjunction with world-renowned sports design firm Populous ahead of schedule and under budget, will provide all Wildcat student-athletes and the entire K-State Nation one of the finest and most efficient facilities in all of college athletics.
“Our ability to finish early and under budget was predicated on a “project first” mentality,” said Adam Hardy, Senior Project Manager, Mortenson/GE Johnson Construction. “Nearly 1,700 craft workers worked through freezing temperatures, torrential downpours, and 60-hour work weeks to make sure the K-State Family would return to a new-and-improved stadium.”
The facility provides a new Student-Athlete Enhancement Center, an 18,000-square-foot Olympic-quality Strength and Conditioning Center and a new sports medicine and recovery facility with state-of-the-art hydrotherapy and recovery pools. The football program will now benefit from new individual position meeting rooms and offices for the coaching staff that overlook Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The team will also benefit from an impressive new football-shaped locker room which is more than twice the size of the previous space.
The new north seating bowl includes enhanced sightlines, ADA seating, the new Carl and Mary Ice Video Board and is connected to the current west-side stadium concourse for access to entrance gates and stadium concessions and restrooms.
“The Vanier Family Football Complex represents K-State’s commitment to excellence in athletics, academics and the student-athlete experience,” said Ben Stindt, Principal at Populous. “The design combines an efficient design with state-of-the-art technology and high-end amenities that will make the complex feel like home for student-athletes, staff and fans. This is the next generation of the training experience and fan experience in collegiate athletics.”
Members of the football team were provided their first access to the facility on Tuesday and were all smiles after the tour.
“It’s incredible,” said senior wide receiver Kyle Klein. “We had very good facilities before, but this takes it to a whole new level. I feel like we can compete facility-wise with anyone in the country.”
“It’s amazing,” added junior running back Charles Jones. “I’m happy to be able to see it, and we’re all excited to move in and get to work.”
Also on hand for the team’s first look were members of the Vanier family, the namesake of the new complex and lead contributors to the facility.
“The facility is absolutely incredible and something that the student-athletes and fans deserve,” said John Vanier. “I had the opportunity to travel around the country touring other facilities when this process began, and I did not see any other that even compares to this one. It is absolutely the perfect facility and one that every school in the nation would aspire to have.”
With the new building now operational on a daily basis as the football staff begins preparations for the season, public tours and visits will not be permitted. Information regarding an open house will be announced following the completion of the football season. In the meantime, fans should stay tuned for more video and photo coverage in the weeks ahead. Details regarding a dedication ceremony of the new Vanier Family Football Complex, which will take place on September 5, will be announced at a later date.
