September 13, 2001

NW schools spend big to play indoors

When the University of Washington unveiled the Dempsey Indoor practice facility before last Saturday’s home game, it marked the culmination of a project that’s been in the works since 1996.

The building features a 100-yard football field with a FieldTurf surface and a four-lane, 330-yard running track. The space is divisible by a netting system that allows several groups to use it at the same time.

The indoor facility is part of a $95 million village-style athletic complex that is being created on the UW campus. The complex includes the $40 million renovation of the Bank of America Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion that was completed last year. Future work includes new stadiums for the soccer and baseball fields, and renovation of the Conibear Shellhouse.

The five projects are intended to keep Husky football and other UW sports programs competitive in the Pac-10 Conference. The indoor practice facility is named for UW alumnus Neal Dempsey, who donated $3 million for the building.

Washington follows other large universities around the country that are building impressive athletic facilities to lure student-athletes. Among Northwest schools, the University of Oregon was the first to build an indoor practice building, which was completed in 1998. Oregon State will unveil its new indoor practice facility this month. Washington State’s will break ground in October.

Here’s a look at how UW’s Dempsey Indoor practice facility compares.

The building was built on 55 piles, some drilled over 200 feet deep. It features a superstructure of nine steel trusses with 220-foot clearspans and 14-foot center heights.

The rest of the building was made with precast concrete beams and cast-in-place concrete girders. The roof is a combination of metal panels and flat membrane.

Exterior finishes include 12-inch concrete masonry walls on the lower elevations and an insulated metal panel system on the higher walls.

Size: 100,000 square feet

Cost: $28 million

Architect: Carlson Architects

Contractor: Baugh Construction

Groundbreaking: August 2000

Completion: September 2001

The practice facility will be an air-inflated fabric structure, with space for 14 of the school’s 17 varsity sports. The foundation structure is designed to accommodate a permanent steel and masonry structure to be built in the future.

The facility includes a 219-yard track and full-sized football field. The rubber-surfaced floor will be painted and striped for track and field events. A turf system will be rolled out for football, soccer and baseball, and rolled back for track and field.

Size: 87,000 square feet

Cost: $6.2 million (first phase)

Architect: ALSC Architects

Contractor: Shea Construction

Groundbreaking: October 2001 (scheduled)

Completion: September 2002 (scheduled)

The practice facility includes a full-length artificial football surface, a synthetic four-lane, 130-yard running track and a Duck Shop souvenir retail outlet. The project cost includes two grass practice fields and a soccer field.

A new 22,600-square-foot addition to the building includes an athlete’s lounge, additional meeting and storage facilities, an auxiliary medical treatment center and upgraded catering services.

Size: 117,000 square feet

Cost: $15 million

Architect: WBGS Architecture

Contractor: Chambers Construction

Groundbreaking: March 1997

Completion: August 1998

Oregon State University Corvallis

The practice area includes a full-sized football field with 20-foot runouts and four batting cages.

Additional areas include space for equipment storage, four filming platforms and food preparation and staging. The facility has restrooms but no locker rooms.

Size: 85,000 square feet

Cost: $9 million

Architect: Boora Architects

Contractor: Slayden Construction

Groundbreaking: September 2000

Completion: September 2001

Other Stories:

• Versatile structure is built to fit
  
• Husky practice building gives designers a workout
  
• Can’t get no liquefaction
  
• Bright lights, big facility