Athletics Director Josh Whitman announced a new facility on the athletic campus, Demirjian Park Stadium which will host Fighting Illini Soccer, and Fighting Illini Track and Field teams.
In a statement Whitman said:
For the first time, these sports will have a true home, where, in one location, they can pursue their full potential as students, athletes, and people, all while growing together as a team.
The stadium will incorporate the existing Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium, but will include a new Soccer field to the east of the existing pitch.
The track and field portion of the stadium will be renovated to a state of the art facility that will allow the venue to host the 2021 Big Ten Track and Field Championships.
The stadium is expected to be completed by the 2020 soccer season. The project will include LED lighting, new video and sound systems, permanent restroom and concession areas. Soccer will play one season on the new field, using temporary bleachers in 2019.
Teams will enjoy permanent locker rooms, video and meeting rooms, lounge and study spaces, sports medicine and nutrition facilities, and coaches’ offices. It will also contain spaces for visiting teams and officials.
The design of the stadium will feature a double grandstand, allowing one structure to serve as seating for both venues.
Funding for the project was made possible by a donation by the Demirjian family of Decatur of $7 Million as the lead gift for the project. The family also made a lead gift for the Demirjian Golf Facility located across St. Mary’s road from Demirjian Park.
The project is expected to cost $14 Million. The reconfiguration and renovation of the track facility is expected to cost another $4 Million.
From the release:
“We believe in Josh Whitman’s vision, recognize the opportunity and realize that the time is now to make a difference,” Richard Demirjian said. “For us, this investment is about a holistic approach to student athletics—providing training, practice and study centers in one state-of-the-art, multi-purpose facility. It’s also about providing functional, efficient resources to create an interconnected environment and shared home that delivers success in Division I athletics and academics.”
Whitman has announced a major fundraising effort for facilities upgrades. The department set a fundraising goal of $300 million for facilities and scholarship endowments. The Football Performance center is set to break ground after the 2018 season.
