Quarterly Update on UNT Indoor Practice Facility etc

Harry · February 19, 2018

A good friend of the GMG.com site sent us a little information on the New Athletics Indoor Practice Facility in the UNT System Quarterly Operations Report on Page 62 which is the first website link below so you might want to check it out.

It states:

Quote

The Indoor Practice Facility programming phase was completed in October 2017. Design of the facility began in December 2017 and is anticipated to be

complete June 2018. Once Design is complete, the project will be bid for construction via Competitive Sealed Proposal (CSP). It is anticipated that

construction will begin August 2018.

I am still reviewing everything but you may want to check out at the ‘Agenda’ and ‘Board Book’ and ‘APPENDIX’ which is under Notes right below the other two and you might want to look through these three to see additional information on athletics that can be found there as well. These three can be accessed from the second website below but you will need to scroll down a little after the second website comes up. GMG!

https://www.untsystem.edu/sites/default/files/BoR-meetings/qops_feb2018.pdf

https://www.untsystem.edu/leadership/board-regents/upcoming-meeting

Wag Tag · February 19, 2018

They are about $700,000 short as of 2 weeks ago. The IPF has very limited naming locations left at this time.

A move to start in 2019 would not be surprising to me. Hope not.

The changes to the admin building will be the second phase.

Salsa_Verde · February 19, 2018

1 minute ago, Wag Tag said:

They are about $700,000 short as of 2 weeks ago. The IPF has very limited naming locations left at this time.

A move to start in 2019 would not be surprising to me. Hope not.

The changes to the admin building will be the second phase.

I was about to ask if they reached their funding goal. At first glance it seems like they have but apparently not?

BTG_Fan1 · February 20, 2018

We keep hearing that they are 700k short, this figure was given back during the season..

Have they tapped out everyone they can? Heck get 700k from the new budget and start that baby!

Ben Gooding · February 20, 2018

The delay of this process is starting to get egregious. Like @BTG_Fan1 said, take some of that newly funded money and call it funded and start moving dirt.

MrStrange18 · February 21, 2018

17 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

The delay of this process is starting to get egregious. Like @BTG_Fan1 said, take some of that newly funded money and call it funded and start moving dirt.

Not sure it is that simple to start moving dirt. With everything, there will be delays. Be it due to funding, weather, permits, whatever...

Patience my friends... patience. Good things come in time!

GMG!

TreeFiddy · February 21, 2018

Am I missing something? Didn't Harry's post indicate that the project is already underway? It began in October of 2017. Design scheduled to be complete June 2018 and construction expected to start in August 2018.

Cerebus · February 21, 2018

I'm not sure some people really understands how a fee works.

They vote just got ratified yesterday, do you expect an email to go out students today saying "Hey, you are taking X hours, you owes us Y dollars by Friday?".

The BOR is going to have to ratify it, that should just be a rubber stamp. The THECB is going to have to ratify it, and that should be a rubber stamp but you never know when someone is going to grandstand for political gain.

After all that happens, it's going to have to be programmed into all the UNT systems, and all that might be ready, if everything goes perfectly, by Fall 2018. Maybe not till Spring 2019.

So no, no one delivered a fat stack of cash to The Wren™ Monday night. Even if you want to issue bonds based on the fee before it is collected, it is going to have to pass through all sorts of legal/governance hoops, and that can only happen after the governing bodies OK the fee in the first place.

UNTLifer · February 21, 2018

On 2/19/2018 at 1:04 PM, Wag Tag said:

They are about $700,000 short as of 2 weeks ago. The IPF has very limited naming locations left at this time.

A move to start in 2019 would not be surprising to me. Hope not.

The changes to the admin building will be the second phase.

Where did this information come from?

Wag Tag · February 21, 2018

36 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Where did this information come from?

Athletic Department

UNTLifer · February 21, 2018

4 hours ago, Wag Tag said:

Athletic Department

Thanks.

BTG_Fan1 · February 22, 2018

7 hours ago, Cerebus said:

So no, no one delivered a fat stack of cash to The Wren™ Monday night. Even if you want to issue bonds based on the fee before it is collected, it is going to have to pass through all sorts of legal/governance hoops, and that can only happen after the governing bodies OK the fee in the first place.

I would think everyone knows about the fee and how it will not end up with students getting a new bill for X dollars this semester but seeing something like a bond discussed to break ground would be a very big breath of fresh air.

The IPF has been a long and drawn out process with the IPF seeming to have been stuck on this 700k amount for a long period of time. I say long and drawn out because WB first semester was saying we need and want an IPF, 2nd was visit and start on designs of an IPF, with people thinking/hoping it could be at least in the works last summer. Then we thought oh with the signs going up it would be once the season ended and now it’s even father back without all the funding in place.

We all know it *should* eventually get done because it’s a huge selling point that WB and SL have been talking about since they got here. But with the deals of the Soccer/Track Stadium being moved back a semester, and how the new Visitor Center/Dorm (that is going up around Kerr hall) led to the parking lot being blocked off for a year after breaking ground makes me worry this is something that will be delayed again.

I’m just in the camp that you can only pitch recruits on designs and photos of what it will eventually look like for so long. I also think once the IPF is started it will lead to more events being held at UNT and another item to pitch to donors as well.

meangreenJW · February 22, 2018

Public University construction timeline is usually two years minimum. 6-9 months design. 1-2 months to bid out for construction. 10-12 construction. Add in additional time if bonding is used for financing, etc. This project has been board approved. Architects have been selected. As soon as design is complete, they'll bid out for construction. By design, I don't mean pretty renderings but rather actual constructions drawings and plans. I'd assume an indoor would be on the short end of the timeline since it seems like simple construction. But again, it's board approved. My guess is it is being paid for through bonding so University is going through that process. I've never seen athletic department say $700k left. I've only seen it on this board. But it sounds like project is proceeding regardless. My understanding following campus and athletic projects over the years is projects don't go to the board without everything in place to proceed.

Cerebus · February 22, 2018

13 hours ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

but seeing something like a bond discussed to break ground would be a very big breath of fresh air.

How can they discuss something that isn't even officially official yet? There is a lot more to getting a fee actually implemented than a student vote. There is even more to getting a bond issuance back by a fee than a student vote.

I am sure The Wren™ is chomping at the bit to use that money, but he can't until all the hoops are jumped through and the paperwork is signed.

Cerebus · February 22, 2018

21 hours ago, Cerebus said:

The BOR is going to have to ratify it, that should just be a rubber stamp. The THECB is going to have to ratify it, and that should be a rubber stamp but you never know when someone is going to grandstand for political gain.

After all that happens, it's going to have to be programmed into all the UNT systems, and all that might be ready, if everything goes perfectly, by Fall 2018. Maybe not till Spring 2019.

So no, no one delivered a fat stack of cash to The Wren™ Monday night. Even if you want to issue bonds based on the fee before it is collected, it is going to have to pass through all sorts of legal/governance hoops, and that can only happen after the governing bodies OK the fee in the first place.

Looks like WB thinks Fall 2018:

97and03 · February 22, 2018

I could be mistaken but I also believe these types of athletics construction projects can only use student funds for 50% and the rest but be revenue and donations.

Cerebus · February 22, 2018

1 minute ago, 97and03 said:

I could be mistaken but I also believe these types of athletics construction projects can only use student funds for 50% and the rest but be revenue and donations.

That was a rule that previous presidential leadership had put in place, it seems like Smatresk is not beholden to that rule.

97and03 · February 23, 2018

12 hours ago, Cerebus said:

That was a rule that previous presidential leadership had put in place, it seems like Smatresk is not beholden to that rule.

I recall the president's rule was no starting the project until the donations were collected to cover half, but there might be a state rule/law about the overall financing of capital projects.

BTG_Fan1 · February 23, 2018

17 hours ago, Cerebus said:

How can they discuss something that isn't even officially official yet? There is a lot more to getting a fee actually implemented than a student vote. There is even more to getting a bond issuance back by a fee than a student vote.

I am sure The Wren™ is chomping at the bit to use that money, but he can't until all the hoops are jumped through and the paperwork is signed.

I understand that, and would hope that WB gives out some details. I do feel like once the IPF is started, we will see more people donating that have been on the fence.