Oregon State seeks more money to fund Reser
Jessica Waters Emerald
Improvements to Reser Stadium will add nearly 20,000 seats,
but it will take $80 million before it gets there.
The Oregon State University Athletic
Department has struggled to raise proper
funding for the expansion of Reser Stadium
By Jesse Thomas
Sports Editor
Oregon State University has recently en
countered problems with donations and
pledges needed to complete the $80 million
Reser Stadium Expansion Project.
As of the middle of June, the project had
attracted $9 million in donations and
pledges, which was on track to reach the
fundraiser's goal of $28 million.
"The challenge right now is to expand
Beaver Nation and continue to talk with busi
nesses about becoming a part of our pro
gram," Oregon State Athletic Director Bob
De Carolis said. "We have a commitment from
the student body for a total of $ 1.3 million
over four years, which is quite remarkable,
considering the increases in fees and tuition."
The first phase of the Reser project includes
expanding the seating capacity from 35,362
to 43,000. The timeline for the project, which
will begin in the summer of 2004 and finish
before the 2005 season, will eventually in
crease capacity to 55,000 seats.
Other new stadium amenities will include
suites, lodges and club seating, all scheduled
for inclusion in the 85-percent-completed
schematic designed by architectural firm
HNTB. Oregon State's Web site asserts, "The
new East Side (home side) promises to make
Reser Stadium one of the best in the Pac-10
and the nation."
Donations for the project have come from
the student body, anonymous sources and
other private donations. The Beavers have
also addressed the option of receiving money
through business relations.
"We have received a sizable seven-figure
gift from an anonymous source, and we are
in talking stages with several other people
about making large donations," De Carolis
said. "We are also looking at some business
opportunities that could add to our total."
Unlike Oregon State, the University of
Oregon was able to avoid a lot of strife when
receiving donations for expansions on
Autzen Stadium.
The Autzen expansion, which began im
mediately after the Civil War game of 2001,
was similar to the Reser Stadium expansion,
with the addition of nearly 12,000 seats and
several new or improved features.
'Ihe University Athletic Department, which
had to find the money to flip the $89.7 mil
lion bill, received the cash from both state
bonds and private donations.
'To a certain extent it's apples and oranges
because we've been on this track of bowl
games since 1989," University of Oregon Di
rector of Media Services Dave Williford said.
"We didn't do it overnight. Since 1995 we've
accelerated our success on the field as well as
with fundraising."
Hunt-Wildish, the national contracting
company undertaking the construction of the
new Reser Stadium, has been included in
other stadium renovations, including Valley
Football Center. Hunt also was the leading
force behind the Autzen stadium expansion.
"What we like about this formation is that
these people have already done a somewhat
similar project in this state and they under
stand how the state system works," De Caro
lis said. They also have an understanding of
the labor force in this state."
De Carolis is expecting momentum to in
crease in the next month. Oregon State has
had its struggles in receiving donations and
pledges, but Oregon State's Athletic Depart
ment remains confident that money will
be raised.
"It's hard to comment on their situation,"
Williford said, "but (the University of Oregon
wasn't) trying to catch up to somebody else."
Contact the sports editor
at jessethomas@dailyemerald.com.
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Locker room
continued from page 5
The locker rooms will also be im
plemented with photo cells at
tached to dimmers outside. The
photo cells make the light intensity
outside very comparable to that of
inside the locker room. Brightness
previously caused a problem when
players entered the field because it
can take up to 20 minutes for a per
son's eyes to adjust to different light
intensities, Canfield said. He said
the photo cells should eliminate
such a problem.
And if the plasma screens and
floor-to-ceiling mirrors between
lockers aren't enough for amenities,
the locker room offers motivational
tools, too.
All of the bowl logos for games in
which Oregon has competed will
sit above the exit door, with plenty
of open space for future bowl
games. A long cement wall has also
been added leading out of the lock
er room, which will have laser etch
ings of each of Oregon's athletes in
Jessica Waters Emerald
The above schematic shows what the renovated football locker room will look like.
the NFL Hall of Fame. As with the
logos, there will be enough space
for future Oregon athletes to earn
their spot.
"As players are exiting and going to
the stadium they can see that, out of
all the years of Oregon football, there
are only five guys on the wall," archi
tectural designer Rob Lamb said.
"There is plenty of room for athletes
to be on that wall."
With all the renovations to the
new locker room, Oregon is contin
uing to follow suit by portraying the
school and athletic department as
having the best facilities in the na
tion. And it appeals to recruits,
which was the bottom line.
"It's primarily a recruiting tool,"
Moos said. "Our football locker
room was basically outdated. So to
best service our players and to pro
vide an environment that is welcom
ing and, most importantly, appeals to
recruits, we continue to move forward
in facilities."
Contact the sports editor
at jessethomas@dailyennerald.com.
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