BSU has a scheduled closed Executive meeting with the board today in Lewiston. I don't know what is being discussed in a closed meeting, but I can only assume it will fail the initial meeting due to concerns over pedestrian safety. ********************************************************* Stadium Info: Bronco Stadium Expansion Project, Phase I REFERENCE December 2010 Bronco Stadium future projects update February 2011 Board approves request to for Bronco Stadium Expansion Project Master Plan and Phase I Design BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION In February 2011, the State Board of Education authorized Boise State University to proceed with preliminary design of the Bronco Stadium Expansion project, Phase I, at a cost not to exceed $2.46 million. Phase I of this project included two major components, development of the sports fields, facilities and track at Dona Larsen Park, and development of a new Bronco Stadium Football Complex. In addition, Phase I involved studies regarding additional seating options. Approval to construct the improvements at Dona Larsen Park was secured at the Board’s special meeting on Sept. 9, 2011 with a total budget not to exceed $6 million. The design process for the Football Complex is underway. Utilizing the standard process through the Division of Public Works, the design teams of Hummel Architects and Populous Architects and the construction manager Kreizenbeck Construction have been retained. The consultants have completed schematic design and developed a preliminary estimate based on these documents. The facility program of approximately 69,000 gross square feet includes all-sports training and hydrotherapy facilities, a strength training and cardiovascular room, football team locker room, football team meeting rooms, football coaches’ offices, football coach and staff locker rooms, academic study areas, recruiting lounge, equipment storage/checkout, loading dock and other infrastructure support spaces. Based on the schematic level documents, early indications are that the cost of this portion of the project will exceed the $20 million projected for this portion of the project (at the time of Board approval to design in February 2011) by approximately $2 - $3 million. In addition to the impact of market uncertainty on the project budget, during the schematic design phase some additional information was discovered which will impact the project budget including:  Early cost assumptions were based only on general planning information; detailed information developed from the specific designs appears to have a somewhat higher overall unit cost of construction.  Some added needs of the football program were identified during the design process increasing the overall size of the project.  A small portion of the increased cost is related to larger structural members being incorporated in this phase which will support future upper deck seating. The design team is continuing efforts to minimize additional costs while meeting the program needs. It is expected that the request for approval to construct, based on further development of the design, will be brought forward at the December 2011 Board meeting. Bidding is scheduled to begin in mid to late January 2012 with construction commencing by mid-March and anticipated construction completion in mid-summer 2013. This project also presents an opportunity to upgrade and expand bleacher seating. The existing north and south portable bleachers will be relocated to Dona Larsen Park; upgraded replacement bleachers, including up to approximately 3,300 additional seats, will be placed primarily in the south end of the stadium, tying into the current east and west concourses. A smaller compliment of bleachers will be placed at the north end in a free-standing configuration. In addition to providing additional bleacher seating, this arrangement also makes way for the more permanent seating at the north end as envisioned in the Stadium master plan. IMPACT The $2.46 million approved by the Board in February 2011 is estimated to be sufficient to progress design services through construction documents and studies related to the added bleachers, therefore no additional funding authorization is being requested at this time. Depending upon the final number of seats and associated site development and exiting requirements, it is expected that approximately $2.5 - $3.1 million in additional funds will be needed for the replacement/expanded bleachers. Increased revenue from ticket sales on the net increase in seats will be used to help finance this improvement. The source of funds for this project is private gifts and Athletic Department operating revenues. A final budget and financing plan will be presented to the Board when the project is brought for construction approval, currently planned for December 2011. While significant cash donations will be available for the project, it is expected that a portion of the funding will be from central reserves and new bond proceeds which will be repaid from pledged donations and athletic operating revenues. Any central reserves utilized will be repaid with interest from Athletics’ operating revenues over a three to five year period.