As a part of the “Building Champions” initiative, a new Football Indoor Practice Facility featuring a full outdoor turf practice field and a 130-yard indoor practice field is set to open in October 2022.
Executive Associate Athletic Director for Communication for Kansas State Athletics Kenny Lannou said the new facility is the result of a holistic look at all of K-State’s athletic facilities and the needs of the athletic department.
“When Gene Taylor was named our AD, part of his initiative early on was to create a master facility plan, and inside that master facility plan we have our building champions campaign and initiative,” Lannou said.
The $126.5 million initiative also includes the South End Zone of Bill Snyder Family Stadium, the Legends Room at Bramlage Coliseum, a new volleyball arena and an Olympic Training Center.
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Lannou said roughly $32 million of the budget will fund the Football Indoor Practice Facility and that all the facilities are 100 percent privately funded.
“One of the really unique things here at K-State, we, as the athletic department, do not receive any funds from the university,” Lannou said. “There is a little bit from a loan standpoint but, you know, a large majority of everything that we do is privately funded by our donors and fans.”
Lannou said the state-of-the-art facility will be more convenient for student-athletes.
“Currently, the football indoor [facility] is located on the south end of Bramlage,” Lannou said. “When weather is dicy, that’s a decent walk or drive to get to the football indoor. From a convenience standpoint, they’ll be able to just walk straight over to the east side, and it will connect to the east entrance of the stadium.”
According to the K-State sports website, the new facility’s location on the east side of Bill Snyder Family Stadium will impact some football season ticket holders.
“There’s a plan being implemented that will make sure that everyone who’s had parking on that side will still have parking,” Lannou said. “It’s a matter of that was the location that was most feasible from a cost standpoint and convenience standpoint for our student-athletes.”
More information about the new practice facility and the Building Champions initiative is available on the K-State Sports website.
