MADISON, Wis. – Earlier today, the Wisconsin State Building Commission officially approved construction of Wisconsin Athletics’ new Football Indoor Practice Facility. The $285 million project is currently in the design phase with construction scheduled to begin in 2025.
“This is another exciting step in the process,” Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh said. “We are grateful for the support of the State Building Commission, but also from so many different stakeholders. Launched by a generous leadership gift of $20 million from Ted and Mary Kellner, we are thrilled with the enthusiasm and investment in our athletic department and specifically our football program.”
The Football Indoor Practice Facility will include the replacement of the Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center (The Shell), which opened in 1954, and the 80-yard football practice field in the McClain Center, which opened in 1988. The facility will impact the training for the majority of Wisconsin’s 23 sports and 800 student-athletes.
As part of the project, the State Building Commission also approved the reduction of the size of the Kohl Center ice sheet that will get underway this spring and be ready for the 2024-25 season. The original Olympic-sized rink was designed to be 200-feet long by 97-feet wide and will now undergo construction and be reduced to NHL dimensions of 200-by-85 feet.
“The Kohl Center is moving into a new era as to what’s available here,” head coach Mike Hastings said. “Our young men come to the University of Wisconsin to get a degree and progress themselves as people and this this is an unbelievable opportunity for us to continue to evolve. With our nutrition center, a new academic center and weight room, and now an NHL-sized ice sheet, this adds another layer to help them prepare for life and for one of their goals of playing professionally and in the NHL.”
The Kohl Center is currently one of just five NCAA Division I men's ice hockey home arenas with rink sizes larger than 200-by-92 feet. The change in the width of the rink will also present exciting new premium seating opportunities in the 100 level for men’s hockey located on the glass. Details on those changes are still being designed.
