Josh Moyer, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Maryland shares plans for $155M facility

Maryland unveiled its vision for a new indoor facility Friday morning – and it’s enough to make more than a few Big Ten fans jealous of the league newcomer.

The university is intent on spending $155 million to renovate and expand Cole Field House, which, as the Testudo Times pointed out, is 2.3-times more expensive than Oregon’s indoor facility. Under Armour’s Kevin Plank is also donating $25 million toward the Terps’ project. (Step up your game, Nike.)

The artist renderings are pretty futuristic, too. The locker room looks as if it’s straight out of a spaceship. Have a look:

 

If the regents approve, construction would start next December. The Terrapin Performance Center, which will house the indoor football practice facility, is set to be completed in April 2017. And the entire project should be fully completed by June 2018.

Here’s an overview of just some of what student-athletes can expect:

  • Two outdoor turf fields on the west end of the facility, which will be open for intramural sports

  • Indoor football facility, along with the requisite meeting rooms, offices and weight room

  • A center with a research laboratory that focuses on concussions and traumatic brain injuries

  • "Rapid prototyping lab" that focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship

  • New team tunnel to Byrd Stadium

To compete in a better conference, you need to keep up with the arms race in college facilities. Maryland is doubling down on its future here, and the new digs should be a boon to recruiting.

It might pressure some other Big Ten teams into renovating, too.

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