State OKs UL stadium expansion, parking garage construction

Mike Hasten, Daily Advertiser, Sept. 14, 2013

BATON ROUGE — The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s plans for expanding its football stadium and other athletic facilities improvements, and for constructing a parking garage, got final approval from the state Friday.

The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget approved the university’s plans to make the improvements through Ragin’ Cajun Facilities Inc., an alternative design and construction corporation that has constructed dormitories and other facilities on campus.

Jerry LeBlanc, the university’s vice president for finance, said the improvements will give it a “tier one athletic facility” and a much-needed parking lot with “no state involvement.” The improvements are paid for with self-generated funds.

Plans call for adding 5,900 seats in the south end zone of Cajun Field, an addition to the indoor practice facility to add football locker rooms, a weight room, coaches’ offices and training facilities.

Also, the project included construction of a new visitors football locker room, a new track-soccer office, and a concession and locker room building.

The parking garage will be available for students, faculty, staff and the public, plans submitted to the JLCB show.

Students have been paying fees for years to build the garage, and parking lot revenues will be used to pay the construction costs.

Both projects are “part of the comprehensive master plan” for developing the university, LeBlanc said.