Regents approve facilities projects

The UW System Board of Regents at its December meeting unanimously approved a plan for resuming renovation of Camp Randall Stadium. Chancellor John Wiley announced in October that the $83.7 million project was ready to move forward, thanks to a lead gift from the Kellner family, an analysis of the project’s scope and costs, and a sound financial plan.

The project is to be funded mostly by private gifts and UW Athletics revenues.

Intended to make safety and infrastructure improvements, increase capacity and improve seating, the project was delayed for about eight months due to budget constraints, security costs after Sept. 11 and slower-than-expected fund raising.

The regents approved the name Kellner Hall for an athletic administrative office complex that will be built near the stadium.

The project must still obtain approval from the State Building Commission before construction can begin in the spring.If approved, stadium construction will start in spring 2003 and continue through the next two football seasons. The Regents also approved funding for several other campus projects, none of which use state dollars: a $2.5 million renovation to the Memorial Union’s Lakefront Caf>= (see story, page 1); a $646,800 renovation to the Biotron Building that will create code-compliant animal-cage washing facilities; and a $380,000 renovation of space at the Medical Sciences Center to create a generic research lab.