The University of Minnesota's Athletes Village project will take the Gophers football and basketball practice facilities from the bottom of the Big Ten toward the top. In case you missed it, check out the computerized fly-by images of the new football facility below.
Construction is moving along, with concrete towers rising from the ground. But it's worth noting: Some elements of the original design have been shelved. The football team is getting a brand new indoor facility, but plans are on hold for the team's indoor linemen facility. That element was designed to give the Gophers an indoor half-field, similar to the one they have outside, for use by the offensive and defensive linemen.
It's an issue that's expected to come up Thursday as "new business," when the Board of Regents' Facilities, Planning and Operations Committee meets.
"It's a necessity in my opinion; it's not a luxury," coach Tracy Claeys said. "The reason being is that we're up North farther than anybody, and everybody else can still go outside most times of the year, and use their O-line equipment and chutes and D-line equipment -- the chutes and sleds.
"We don't have a space inside for that. It would give us the same area inside as what we have outside now. For how often -- we have players-only practices twice a week all year long, so we really need that. Right now, we don't get to use those things during the offseason because we don't have a place for them inside. And I think it hurts the development of our big guys. So hopefully we'll find a way to get that done."
