Memorial Stadium Construction Update

Pizza Party
The University of Nebraska Athletic Department hosted a Valentino’s pizza party today for approximately 100 construction workers. Construction is progressing smoothly and athletic director Steve Pederson and Associate Athletic Director Boyd Epley wanted to thank the crews for their hard work and dedication to the North Stadium Expansion Project, even as the weather turns cold.

Fund-Raising Efforts Receive Boost from Myers Family Gift
The largest single gift to the University of Nebraska Athletic Department was received on Wednesday from Charles and Romona Myers. Athletic Director Steve Pederson accepted their $5 million gift toward the Memorial Stadium Expansion Project at a Dec. 8 press conference. Pederson said the athletic department appreciates the Myers’ generous gift and in their honor, will name the performance level (first floor) of the new Osborne Athletic Complex, The Charles and Romona Myers Performance Center for Student-Athletes. The performance level features the main areas where Husker student-athletes of all sports will focus to achieve their championship goals. The Myers Performance Center will include the strength complex, the athletic medicine facilities and the football team locker room. The Athletic Department continues to accept gifts toward the building project. To date, the project has received more than $20 million in private gifts toward the $50 million project.

Indoor Fieldhouse
Construction continues on schedule with no major delays or setbacks to report. The construction workers will work right through the holidays taking only December 24 and December 31 off. In January and February the roof will be installed on the Indoor Fieldhouse. The first precast panels will be installed on the northwest corner of the building then the roof panels will be installed working from the south end working counter clockwise around the building. The roof will follow after the precast panels, starting in the northwest corner and moving south down the west end of the roof edge, then north from the southeast roof corner. Roof panels are two foot wide by 33 feet long with three panels end to end needed to reach the top of the roof.

Championship Wing
Approximately 50% of the steel has been placed on the Championship Wing, which is located on the west side of the Indoor Fieldhouse. The flat roof of the wing will soon follow as weather permits.

Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex
Steel beams will arrive after Christmas and will start being installed in early January. The steel will rise up around 85 feet with two steel columns attached end to end to make one column 85 feet long. The steel structure will begin on the east side of the complex near the outdoor track and will work back toward the west side. This section of the project is referred to by the contractors as the outboard section and should be very visible by the start of the 2005 season. The part under the existing stadium seating closer to the football field is called the inboard section and will be constructed after the 2005 season. The final part of the project will be the new strength complex which will be added to the north side of the Osborne Complex.