WSU regents to vote on football building

PULLMAN – Washington State’s Board of Regents is scheduled to vote today in Spokane on whether to approve a proposed $61 million football operations facility.

The facility, which would be built on the west end of Martin Stadium, would be the school’s second major project of the year, following the completion of the new $65 million premium seating and press box structure on the stadium’s south side.

According to documents on the regents’ website, the school is seeking $46 million in bonds to help fund the operations building. The remaining $15 million is to be funded by residual contingency from the south-side project. Funds from the Pac-12’s new media contracts will be used to pay an estimated annual debt service of $3.1 million for the bond issue.

“I’m comfortable with our ability to service debt,” athletic director Bill Moos said.

If the regents grant approval, construction would begin Nov. 26, three days after WSU’s season finale against Washington.

The facility is to include coaches’ offices, along with equipment, training, locker and weight rooms, plus a “WSU football heritage area” and a game-day home for past WSU letterwinners.

Moos said that once the building is ready to be occupied in June 2014, the space left vacant in Bohler Gym, which currently houses WSU’s football offices, will be reconfigured to accommodate other athletic teams.

Christian Caple