A major expansion and renovation of the University of Colorado at Boulder’s football stadium, which had experienced cost overruns over the past two years, was recently completed. The $177 million project—which was financed with bond debt that the school’s athletic department will repay in full through fundraising, business contracts, and community partnerships—centralizes the university’s athletic programs, and is being touted as “transformational” by Mortenson Construction, for which this is its largest design-build sports project to date.
Among the project’s key elements are a 212,000-sf expansion of Folsom Field; a 38,000-sf renovation of Dal Ward Athletic Center, which now includes men’s and women’s Olympic sports locker rooms and an 11,285-sf weight room; the construction of a 108,000-sf, 90-foot high, net-zero-energy indoor practice facility that will serve all of the university’s sports programs and includes a six-lane 300-meter Olympic track; a 534-stall parking garage that Mortenson delivered under a separate contract; and the addition of Franklin Field, a 106,000-sf outdoor grass practice field next to the indoor facility.
This project included the construction of a 108,000-sf net zero energy indoor practice facility that includes a six-lane 300-meter Olympic track that allows the university fo host sanctioned tack and field events on campus. The facility is 90 feet high, enough clearance for the football team's kickers to practice. Image: Courtesy of Mortenson.
The upgraded complex now includes Champions Center, the new home of CU’s football and Athletic Administration. The Center offers a state-of-the-art locker room and lounge, with dining facilities and rooftop terrace for game-day and special events.
A new Sports Medicine and Performance Center, built in partnership with Boulder Community Health, is now open to the public.
The upgrade added 2,604 solar panels that will generate 1,200 MWh/year of energy. And 1,876 stadium seats were replaced.
During the construction, Mortenson created an interactive model of the project that the community and other stakeholders could navigate using a game controller. The exhibit was displayed on a mobile TV in campus buildings near the stadium, and has served as a communication and fundraising tool.
The Building Team included Populous (architect), M-E Engineers (MEP), Martin/Martin (SE), J3 Engineering (CE), Wenk Associates (landscape architect), Ludvik Electrical (electrical trade partner), Mortenson Construction (GC), Murphy (mechanical trade partner).
A total of 3,161 workers were employed on this project, with the onsite workforce peaking at 600 for one day. The Building Team had 550-plus days without a recordable injury on the Indoor Practice Field.
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 15, 2023
Georgia State University Convocation Center revitalizes long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood
Georgia State University’s new Convocation Center doubles the arena it replaces and is expected to give a shot in the arm to a long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood. The new 200,000 sf multi-use venue in the Summerhill area of Atlanta is the new home for the university’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and will also be used for large-scale academic and community events.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 27, 2023
New 20,000-seat soccer stadium will anchor neighborhood development in Indianapolis
A new 20,000-seat soccer stadium for United Soccer League’s Indy Eleven will be the centerpiece of a major neighborhood development in Indianapolis. The development will transform the southwest quadrant of downtown Indianapolis by adding more than 600 apartments, 205,000 sf of office space, 197,000 sf for retail space and restaurants, parking garages, a hotel, and public plazas with green space.
Arenas | Feb 23, 2023
Using data to design the sports venue of the future
Former video game developer Abe Stein and HOK's Bill Johnson discuss how to use data to design stadiums and arenas that keep fans engaged and eager to return.
Arenas | Feb 14, 2023
A new communications platform aims to help sports and entertainment venues operate greener
GOAL (for Green Operations and Advanced Leadership) will give operators ways to gauge their sustainability journeys.
Giants 400 | Feb 9, 2023
New Giants 400 download: Get the complete at-a-glance 2022 Giants 400 rankings in Excel
See how your architecture, engineering, or construction firm stacks up against the nation's AEC Giants. For more than 45 years, the editors of Building Design+Construction have surveyed the largest AEC firms in the U.S./Canada to create the annual Giants 400 report. This year, a record 519 firms participated in the Giants 400 report. The final report includes 137 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Steel Buildings | Feb 3, 2023
Top 10 structural steel building projects for 2023
A Mies van der Rohe-designed art and architecture school at Indiana University and Morphosis Architects' Orange County Museum of Art in Costa Mesa, Calif., are among 10 projects to win IDEAS² Awards from the American Institute of Steel Construction.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 1, 2023
University of Houston opens 'game changer' wellness center at downtown campus
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) recently opened its new Wellness & Success Center (WSC). The $39 million, 75,000 sf facility greatly improves the quality of the school’s exercise programs and areas dedicated to them. It also establishes a dynamic core and recognizable landmark for fostering and nurturing an on-campus community, according to a news release from SmithGroup, which designed the building along with HarrisonKornberg Architects.
University Buildings | Jan 30, 2023
How wellness is reshaping college recreation centers
Moody Nolan, a specialist in the design of college recreation centers, has participated in the evolution toward wellness on college campuses.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jan 26, 2023
Miami’s motorsport ‘country club’ to build sleek events center
Designed by renowned Italian design firm Pininfarina and with Revuelta as architect, The Event Campus at The Concours Club will be the first and only motorsport-based event campus located within minutes of a major metro area.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jan 24, 2023
Nashville boasts the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada
At 30,105 seats and 530,000 sf, GEODIS Park, which opened in 2022, is the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada. Created by design firms Populous and HASTINGS in collaboration with the Metro Nashville Sports Authority, GEODIS Park serves as the home of the Nashville Soccer Club as well as a venue for performances and events.