Vandal Athletic Center Upgrades Underway

With a major announcement scheduled for Wednesday (January 23rd) - in Moscow and Boise - to launch long overdue renovations to the ASUI-Kibbie Dome, we take this opportunity to provide an update of CURRENT projects underway. These projects will deliver a first-ever team meeting room, two smaller meeting rooms, academic center, gallery, and massive expansion of athletic training facilities.

The Idaho Athletic Department is preparing to launch work on some much-needed and long-overdue improvements and renovations to the ASUI Kibbie Dome, and this week renovations are expected to be announced in a press conference on Wednesday, January 23rd in Moscow (10am PST) and Boise (2pm PST).

However, this is not the only work being done to enhance Idaho's facilities.

In addition to this much-anticipated Dome renovation project, work is currently being done to continue the remodel and renovation of the Vandal Athletic Center (VAC) - a facility located on the east end of the ASUI-Kibbie Dome. Work has been ongoing inside the VAC for the last five years, including the dedication of new locker rooms for virtually all sports, a brand new state-of-the-art weightroom (Iverson Strength and Speed Center), Hydrotherapy Center, and more.

The scope of this current project will deliver a FIRST-EVER team meeting room designed to accommodate teams as large as the football team in a single meeting space, two smaller meeting rooms, an academic center, and expanded training rooms which will accommodate all of Idaho's varsity sports.

The team meeting room will be named the Rich and Sharon Allen Room to recognize the generous donation by the Allen’s for this element of the project. The team room complex will comprise an academic center, a team room, and two smaller team rooms.

Above is one of three proposed configurations for the NEW Team Meeting Room complex, which will extend from the front lobby of the East End Addition (near the new Iverson Strength and Speed Center) to the Kibbie Dome floor.

The Allen Room will seat 115 athletes (minimum), making it the first time ever the Vandals will have a meeting room that houses the entire football team; the largest of Idaho's 15 varsity teams. This is a key improvement in the program - never before in the 100+ year history of the school have the Vandals provided a meeting room that can hold the entire football team … until now! The meeting room will include projection equipment for film review, game preparations, and half-time sessions.

The two smaller - or auxiliary - rooms will seat 19 student-athletes each and can be configured into one joint room. All of the rooms are near the northeast entrance to the Kibbie Dome field. The rooms and academic center are also accessible from the Vandal Athletic Center lobby. A hall of fame is also included, with the capability to relocate the display cases to the new venue when it is available. This marks the first time EVER that the Vandals will have developed a Hall of Fame to honor its past athletes on the University of Idaho campus.

The project is estimated to cost $1.4 million and is projected to be completed by August 1st. The project is currently out for bid, with the bid opening scheduled for January 22nd. There are several options available to consider for this off-season project, and work will begin after the bids are reviewed against the project’s budget.

Additional offices for the training staff and expanded laundry facilities are also part of the winter’s work, as well as new storage areas and a reception area for training facility expansion.

The old training room was constructed when the east end building was built in the 1980’s. Since that time, Idaho has added two varsity sports. According to Barry Steele, Idaho’s Trainer, the new space and configuration - which will dramatically expand the training space and capabilities - will make the rooms significantly improved over the existing training space. The old room was used for 16 athletic programs, so the expansion and improvements to the training areas are long overdue and needed as Idaho continues to expand its athletic facilities.

An overview of the scope of the project happening inside the East End Addition. To the right are the new Team Meeting Rooms. At the lower end of the image is the new Vandal Football Lockerroom. Above it is the scope of the new Traning Room complex, which will allow Idaho trainers to work with Idaho athletes like never before.

Above is a closer look at the new Training Complex inside the East End
of the ASUI-Kibbie Dome.