University of Georgia spent $80 million renovating its football facility and the results show the luxury behind the top programs
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Cork GainesMay 27, 2022, 00:14 IST
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The project, which includes a 29,000-square-foot renovation and nearly 140,000-square-feet of expansion, cost $80 million, with half of that coming from the football budget and the other half from private gifts.
The facility, designed by HOK, has three levels and a new entrance.
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There is access to an indoor practice field.
Of course, the star of the show for the players will be the new locker room.
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Each locker has its own seat and a TV above with the player's photo, name, and number.
The locker room also includes plenty of comfy seating and TVs in a private lounge just for the players.
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The players have their own barbershop in the locker room.
The new facility comes with a nutrition bar.
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The dining space and demonstration kitchen look like a high-end sports bar.
There are therapy pools.
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And hydrotherapy pools.
There is even a uniform display room. It is only accessible by facial recognition, has black mirrored acrylic walls and faux-leather vertical panels that slide to reveal uniforms and athletic gear.
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Georgia's national championships are commemorated in the back wall of the auditorium, which includes leather seating and reminders of the team's conference championships along the side walls.
The other gem of the new facility is the weight room.
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A double-sided, stadium-style videoboard, reminiscent of the one at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium, hangs in the middle.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the outdoor training fields and fill the weight room with natural light.
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Like the rest of the facility, everything is done in black and red.
Even the sports medicine area.
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Like similar projects at other top college football programs, the Bulldogs are open about how they hope the luxurious new digs will help them recruit top talent, noting that "the modern, amenity-filled space will also support UGA efforts to continue to recruit and retain top talent."