The University of Wyoming announced Monday a $44 million renovation of the Rochelle Athletics Center that will triple the size of the already existing facility.
The expansion to the Rochelle Athletics Center will be called the High Altitude Performance Center. Marian Rochelle helped launch the funding for the project with a $3 million gift. The state of Wyoming will match the gift with an additional $3 million.
“It is exciting that Marian is investing in this transformational project. When this facility is complete, the new High Altitude Performance Center will become the premier athletic center in the Mountain West Conference. We are so appreciative of Marian and April. It is simply amazing the impact that they have had on UW through the years,” UW athletic director Tom Burman said.
The funding for the project will come from private gifts and the state of Wyoming; $24 million from private support and $20 million from the State of Wyoming matching program.
The score board in the North end zone will be removed and the High Altitude Performance Center will be built 50 feet away from the end zone. The expansion will feature a new locker room for the football team and a new training facility.
“The expansion of the Rochelle Athletics Center to include the High Altitude Performance Center will assist our student-athletes to be the best they can be. Our family’s donation is targeted to help student-athletes receive a meaningful degree when they graduate from the University of Wyoming,” April Brimmer Kunz, daughter of Marian Rochelle and UW Foundation Board of Directors vice chair said.
The first floor will feature a welcome desk along with the Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center where any student athlete will be able to access it. There will also be the Football Strength and Performance Center, a War Room for team meetings, and a bigger football locker room.
On the second floor, there will be meeting rooms for individual coaches, the Training Table where athletes will get meal plans catered specifically for them and the Academic Center for tutoring for student-athletes.
“It is fitting that the lead gift to this important project is being made by Marian Rochelle. Her unwavering commitment is a testament to Marian’s recognition of the ongoing needs of our student-athletes. Marian’s extraordinary philanthropy continues to shape the course of Cowboy Athletics and Wyoming’s university. It is a redefining moment for Cowboy football,” football head coach Craig Bohl said.
UW Foundation president, Ben Blalock, believes that they can begin construction as soon as the conclusion of the 2015 football season.
