Michigan State University Athletics
Duffy Daugherty Football Building Construction Update
1/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 29, 2008
Skandalaris Football Center Photo Gallery
EAST LANSING, Mich. - In August 2008, Michigan State will occupy one of the nation's finest college football facilities. The $15 million expansion and renovation project for the Duffy Daugherty Football Building began seven months ago.
The face-lift started with construction of the 25,000-square-foot Skandalaris Football Center that features new team, staff and position meeting rooms, coaches' offices and a Hall of History. MSU alumni Robert and Julie Skandalaris of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., donated $5 million as the lead gift for this $12 million phase of the project. The coaching staff is expected to make the transition from temporary offices into the new facility in late July, with the building being fully operational by Aug. 1.
"We're excited about the progress being made in the construction of the Skandalaris Football Center," Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio said. "It's a facility that certainly is showcased each week in the recruiting process. There will be a certain `wow' factor when the Hall of History is completed, but what we're proudest of is the fact that this facility creates an ideal environment for teaching and learning.
"The building is designed for efficiency, especially with the way the team meeting area can be converted into (offense and defense) unit meeting rooms in a matter of seconds along with the close proximity to the position meeting rooms. With this design and organization, we won't lose valuable time when transitioning from meeting space to meeting space.
"The latest technology will be featured throughout the facility. We'll be utilizing some of the latest video technology, with the ability to convert plays on video into diagramed plays for scouting purposes. In addition, this facility will house one of the largest computer servers on campus, allowing the coaches to access on the intranet: footage from every practice, MSU game video from the past five seasons, current opponents' game video as well as video of nearly 1,000 recruits. Again, we're excited about the teaching and learning possibilities in this new structure.
"The Hall of History is important because the past is the best indicator of the future," Dantonio continued. "From a historical perspective, Michigan State is a Top 25 football program, with six National Championships. We're proud of our rich football tradition and it should be documented for the entire Spartan Nation to appreciate and embrace."
In April, the Duffy Daugherty Football Building weight room will increase in size from 9,000 to 16,500 square feet. The $2 million weight room expansion and upgrade is scheduled for completion in mid-September.
"The next phase of construction includes expansion of the weight room, nearly doubling its current size to 16,500 square feet," Dantonio said. "An expanded weight room will provide opportunities to schedule larger training groups, add more variety in equipment and incorporate more of the larger, state-of-the-art anaerobic/aerobic crossover pieces. The goal is to provide our student-athletes with a training environment that is second to none. From a recruiting perspective, it sends a loud and clear message that Michigan State is committed to providing its student-athletes with an elite training facility."
Former Spartan head coach George Perles and his wife Sally contributed $500,000 for the construction of a $1 million plaza outside the Duffy Daugherty Football Building.
"Another neat feature of the Duffy Daugherty Football Building expansion project is the creation of the Perles Plaza, located at the corner of Chestnut Road and Shaw Lane," Dantonio said. "It will be a great gathering place, not only on game days but throughout the week."
