Thanks to a gift of 17 acres of land just south of
Davenport University's W. A. Lettinga Campus, Davenport students and visiting teams will soon be able to enjoy a new $5 million baseball, softball and tennis complex.
The complex will be constructed over the summer on 68th St. in Caledonia Township, a short bike ride from campus, says Athletic Director Paul Lowden, on land donated to the university by
Farmers Insurance Group.
"The complex will enhance the recruiting efforts of our baseball, softball and tennis coaches," Lowden says. "The facilities should give Davenport University a recruiting advantage because students are very aware of the facilities a university has and having facilities like this increases their interest."
The complex will feature a baseball field with artificial turf on the infield and outfield, a softball field with artificial turf on the outfield, eight tennis courts, spectator seating at all three venues, heated dugouts, concessions, locker rooms and restrooms. The baseball stadium will seat 300, the softball stadium will seat 200, and all facilities will have lighting for nighttime competitions.
"This will be used for practices and competitions, and will be a great place not only for our student athletes but for visiting teams because we'll have locker rooms for them, as well," Lowden says. "We hope to have a shovel in the ground by late April, early May and have construction completed in time for [the 2012-2013] school year."
Design:
Integrated Architecture
Source: Paul Lowden, Davenport University
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor
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