![The lobby of the new Land O' Lakes Center for Excellence Tuesday morning. ] AARON LAVINSKY • aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com University of Minnesota basketball head coach Richard Pitino spoke to the media at the new Basketball Development Center of the university's still-under construction athletes village on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minn.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/V2CBI5VYHJEEU6V6B7R4JD5Z6Y.jpg?&w=1080)
The Gophers are adding a $1.5 million injury "recovery suite" to the Athletes Village — entirely donation-funded — at a time of serious cost-cutting at the university.
The Board of Regents approved designs for the project Tuesday, stressing that plans were in the works before the COVID-19 pandemic. Two weeks ago, in a Regents' presentation, the University explained that the athletic department stood to lose between $10 million and $75 million during the pandemic, depending upon when athletics events resume.
The 1,400-square foot recovery suite will built on the second floor of the Larson Football Performance Center and open to all student athletes. It will feature a sauna room, float tanks, sleep pods and other wellness recovery equipment.
The Board previously approved the donor subsidized plan as part of a Capital Budget Amendment. The money raised can only go toward this project. With campus shut down but construction still allowed, this approval opens the way to complete the project by August.
"If the donors are still there, let's get it done," regent Michael Hsu said.
