New football facility hot topic of conversation

Mangino says announcement imminent; associate AD a little more cautious about progress

Depending on whom you ask, Kansas University either is real close to big news on a football facility, or cautiously optimistic that news is coming soon.

Speaking on rivals.com’s Internet radio show Thursday, KU coach Mark Mangino said that the plans to build a football-only facility adjacent to Memorial Stadium continue to progress.

“We’re going to make an announcement pretty soon here,” Mangino said on the show. “We’re close to tying up all the loose ends.”

Associate athletic director Jim Marchiony hesitated to be as bold, though he essentially made the same point when asked of the development of the plans.

“The way I would say it is, fundraising is going very well,” Marchiony said. “We do have some loose ends that we have to tie up before we make an announcement. We’re hopeful we can make an announcement soon.”

Marchiony wouldn’t define “soon” and didn’t have a concrete number as to how much money had been raised. At last report 10 weeks ago, KU had raised $18 million, following a $10 million pledge from former basketball player Tom Kivisto and his wife Julie in September.

The facility, which could consist of multiple buildings, will be built near Memorial Stadium and feature locker rooms, a weight room, film and meeting rooms and a training room. An outdoor practice field could be built nearby.

At the time of the Kivisto pledge, Marchiony said that it would cost approximately $40 million for the construction of the facility, but added Thursday that the figure wasn’t set in stone and was more of a rough estimate.

Either way, Marchiony wouldn’t say how much money had been raised to this point.

“Before I could give you a number,” Marchiony said, “I would say that we have to take care of the loose ends.”