SOUTH KINGSTOWN – The state has already given the University of Rhode Island a significant financial boost to help renovate and refurbish the aging athletic fields on campus.
Now, the university is turning to donors to help cover the balance.
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URI formally announced Tuesday a new multiyear, $20 million fundraising initiative to help close the financing gap of the approximately $82 million in long-awaited repairs and upgrades to Meade Stadium – home to URI’s football and new lacrosse teams – the Tootell Aquatic Center, the outdoor track and field facilities, the baseball and softball fields and the soccer complex.
URI, over the course of three fiscal years, will receive $65.8 million from the state via its Rhode Island Capital Plan Fund, URI Director of Athletics Thorr Bjorn told Providence Business News on Tuesday. Though the state’s fiscal year 2024 budget provided URI with a major head start on upgrading the fields and facilities – Meade Stadium is about 50 years old – Bjorn and URI knew that the real work, including additional fundraising, was ahead of them.
Bjorn says the capital plan fund monies will be used for fixing Meade Stadium and the outdoor track, the two largest items in the project. Given concerns over high inflation, URI wants to go “full bore” on getting the stadium and track renovations done immediately, Bjorn said.
According to the preliminary renderings from URI, Meade Stadium, once the fixes are completed, will have a new press box and additional seating on the stadium’s east end. The seats, per the rendering, will extend from end zone to end zone – currently, the seating goes from one 25-yard line to the other 25-yard line.
Renderings of the new outdoor track show a full-sized track, with space for long jumping and high jumping, a field area in the center for throwing, spectator seating and a press box. The current track is a track and nothing else.
Bjorn also said URI will seek the $20 million from university donors, likely over the course of five years, which he says is a “normal campaign cycle.” As the money comes into URI, both from the state and from donors, the refurbishment work will be ongoing and likely completed over three phases based on how much money is available at a particular time, Bjorn said.
“It’s going to take about a year to get the designs done and go out to bid for construction groups,” Bjorn said. “So, you’re going to spend money on design and then next year, you’re going to start construction.”
Bjorn also said a clearer picture of a multi-phase schedule for the project will develop as more money comes in from donors over the course of the fundraising campaign. Bjorn is still optimistic that shovels will be in the ground to start fixing Meade Stadium after URI football’s season next year, but URI will know more about what’s needed once the design firms complete their work.
To reach this fundraising goal, Bjorn told PBN that “large donors at a high level” will be needed to help the university reach the finish line.
“After we got the incredible state support, now we get to go out and tell that story and get our folks really excited about this [project],” Bjorn said.
Those seeking to contribute are urged to contact URI Associated Athletic Director for Development Garrett Waller at either 401-874-5287 or by email.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
