Thanks to the Harold Alfond Foundation’s latest investment in UMaine academics and athletics, Black Bear Athletics today unveiled a master plan designed to improve the quality, accessibility, and gender equality of the university’s intercollegiate and recreational facilities.
Projects include a new soccer facility that will feature synthetic turf, stadium seating, broadcast-quality lighting, and more. (See rendering.) A video describing this and other elements of the facilities master plan may be viewed here.
In October, the Harold Alfond Foundation announced a record-breaking $240 million investment in Maine’s public universities to enhance programs, facilities, and student support. The Alfond gift included $90 million for sports-related facilities that will be used by UMaine students as well as schools and groups from across the state.
“Together over the next several years, we will be building first-in-class facilities, venues, and stadiums to benefit our student-athletes and the overall UMaine student experience,” UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy explained. She said that when the renovations and additions are complete, the sports complex “[will] be a model of inclusion and accessibility for the community and the state.”
As part of the arrangement, UMaine has committed to raising at least $20 million to complement the Alfond investment. Click here to learn more.