The majority of Colorado’s Olympic sports will soon experience significant improvements in their facilities.
On the back of a large donation from the CU Foundation, Colorado athletic director Rick George told BuffZone this week that significant renovations are on the way for Prentup Field, Kittredge Field, Potts Field, and the ski team headquarters near Potts and Prentup.
Among the extensive renovations and upgrades to all their facilities will be the addition of long-sought lights in Prentup, home of the women’s soccer team.
“Our Regent and President (Todd) Saliman and the foundation are going to help us fund new upgrades to our track and ski building and our soccer lights, a new lacrosse field over there (in Kittredge),” George said. “So we’re very excited about that.”
George said the university is still negotiating the final price tag for the multi-faceted project, but he expects it to be “in the $10 to $11 million range.” In addition to the lights at Prentup, the project will include resurfacing the track at Potts, a new surface at Kittredge, and improving fan amenities such as bathrooms, concessions and bleachers at Kittredge (home of women’s lacrosse) and Prentup.
The upgraded facility will allow CU to expand its reach in hosting marquee postseason events, such as NCAA football night at Prentup in November when daylight becomes scarce. CU is also slated to host the 2024 Pac-12 Conference outdoor track and field championships in Potts.
“I am pleased to work with the CU Foundation to direct $11 million in support of Chancellor (Phil) DiStefano’s request to elevate not only the CU Boulder Athletic Department’s efforts in Title IX compliance, but also to fund several much-needed improvements to women’s soccer and facilities. track and field, among others,” Saliman said in a statement released to BuffZone. “This collaborative effort will make a difference for our student-athletes and program.”
George said all projects are expected to be completed by the start of the 2023-24 school year, and there is no off-limits facility, in season, for CU teams. He also noted the improvements, most of which will help the women’s team, would be a timely effort during the year celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX.
“Potts Field is very important,” George said. “I think it really has to do with Title IX and for our regents and the foundation and the president to acknowledge the importance of Title IX and where it is on its 50th anniversary, I think it’s great that we’re going to be able to do the project— that project and get it done for the next calendar year. It’s going to be very impactful for our football program to have the lights and be able to play under the lights and for us to be able to host the Pac-12 championship (on the track). It’s going to be ready for something very important and it will allow us to improve the facilities there with a permanent concession stand, bathrooms and all that kind of stuff. So we’re pretty pumped.
“We’re meeting the Title IX needs of our athletic department. These are the things we need to do to meet Title IX standards to make sure our women’s soccer program has the lights they can play competitively and have a track and field area that allows them to compete at the highest level and all. important things. It’s really lacrosse, women’s soccer, and cross country and men’s and women’s track that will be the beneficiaries of this, which is very important in the year of the 50th anniversary of Title IX.
The CU Foundation is a wing of the university dedicated to collecting and distributing private donations.
BuffZone staff writer Brian Howell contributed to this report.
