Construction is on schedule for the new recreational sports center, which should open in summer 2024.
Progress on the structure of the facility is complete, and construction for the interior is in progress as of Sept 18, according to Arturo Olague, director of the recreational sports department.
The new center will be an extension of the Recreational Sports Department and its sports programs. It will include a gym, two basketball courts, a collegiate competition court, a 25,000-square-foot gymnasium, a 3,400-square-foot weight room, and a locker room, according to a Mesquite story published March 8, 2023.
Olague updated The Mesquite on the building’s progress.
“We have the construction on the west of the facility; it’s going to have a full NCAA gymnasium, a 1,000-person seating, a large fitness center in that space, as well as locker rooms for our students to utilize,” said Olague.
Olague said the new facility will also house the Jaguars men’s basketball team as the team starts its season next year.
The budget for the facility is $18 million, and so far, the budget has been changed from the original $17.4 million due to a demand for more materials for the project.
Olague said the Recreational Sports Department provides an inclusive environment that encourages the lifelong pursuit of healthy living.
The current facility at the Madla Building is 20,000 square feet and delivers programs such as Jag Fit to enhance the well-being of the campus community. The fitness center includes weight machines, barbells, and floor mats for yoga.
The new building will provide more inclusion for incoming students to join Jag Fit or be used for training purposes or workouts for the dance team and softball.
“Our entire philosophy is inclusion; we want everyone to feel like there is a place for them in Recreational Sports,” said Olague.
