Marquette University will construct a seasonal dome over a portion of its Valley Fields facility to provide practice and training facilities for intercollegiate athletes as well as club and intramural participants.
The $3.6 million construction project will begin immediately and is expected to be completed in January 2017.
“This project is a positive step forward as it will free up athletic space for both our intercollegiate athletes as well as many students who play intramural and club sports,” said Bill Scholl, vice president and director of athletics. “As we continue to plan for our athletic performance research center, it was important that we take a more immediate step in meeting the demand of our increasingly active student body.”
The dome, which is expected to alleviate scheduling conflicts and congestion at the Marquette Gymnasium, Helfaer Recreation Center and the Al McGuire Center, will serve 16 competitive intercollegiate athletic programs.
Marquette’s men’s lacrosse team is coming off of its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance and the women’s lacrosse team won a program-best seven games finishing tied for third in the Big East in its short history.
The seasonal dome, to be located at 1818 W Canal St., will stay up annually for about five months over winter and early spring.
