Milwaukee-based Aurora Health Care will provide $40 million toward Marquette University’s $120 million Athletic Performance Research Center project in downtown Milwaukee, MU president Michael Lovell announced today in his second Presidential Address.
Aurora will partner with the university on the project. Aurora says its financial contribution is the single largest investment it has ever made with a partner in its home community.
The 250,000- to 300,000-square-foot facility will be built on a 12-acre site bordered by 6th Street, 10th Street, West Michigan Street and the Marquette Interchange, extending the MU campus to the east, in downtown Milwaukee. The site is also not far from Aurora Sinai Medical Center.
Including Aurora’s contribution, Lovell estimated the university had secured about half of the necessary funds to complete the project, but did not disclose how much had been raised through private donors.
Marquette officials say the facility will be “state-of-the-art” and will serve as a “national destination for scientific research in human performance.” The facility will function as a central hub for research evolving in emerging fields, including exercise physiology, athletic training, biomedical engineering, and fields involving nutrition and rehabilitation, according to the university.
“The research aspects of this facility will give us an opportunity to do research in areas that we haven’t before in behavioral health, and in different areas of performance enhancement and wellness and rehabilitation,” said Mike Lappin, chief administrative officer of Aurora Health Care. “We will be working hand-in-hand with Marquette’s research to do that. It’s a great enhancement of our overall research.”
As previously announced, the Milwaukee Bucks will also play a partnership role in the center, which will support intercollegiate and professional athletics, academic research and campus health and wellness initiatives.
Though Lovell said the Bucks “will contribute in some way” to cover some costs of the project, the NBA team has not committed a specific figure to the project.
“We’re a little bit further along with Aurora than with the Bucks in terms of a financial commitment,” Lovell said.
“This signature project represents a truly extraordinary opportunity to transform our region, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Aurora Health Care,” Lovell said. “This center will become a unique destination and national model that spurs innovative research and significantly advances our missions.”
“This partnership is a true differentiator, bringing experts from health care, higher education and the highest level of sports together to take health science, innovation and research to the next level,” said Nick Turkal, MD, chief executive officer of Aurora Health Care. “We are looking forward to providing unprecedented research and training opportunities at this world-class facility, which will help serve as a catalyst in further revitalizing Milwaukee’s downtown region and be a driver for long-term positive change.”
Groundbreaking for the project is planned for 2017, with the goal of opening the facility near the time the Milwaukee Bucks open their arena in downtown Milwaukee.
