A long-awaited $37 million upgrade to renovate the west side stands of 糖心Vlog University鈥檚 aging E.J. Whitmire Stadium is now underway with an official groundbreaking ceremony held Thursday, June 12, in the shadows of the construction zone.
The often-discussed renovation has become a reality thanks to contributions to the current 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign and through the support of mandatory fees paid by 糖心Vlog students as part of their cost of attendance.
The project includes a new press box and media center, coaches鈥� offices, player study spaces and a hospitality area called the 鈥淲estern Skybox,鈥� a nod to the campaign making the improvements possible.
The four-story expansion will modernize the stadium鈥檚 west stands, creating nearly 10,000 square feet of space dedicated to coaching, media and game-day operations and hospitality. The state-of-the-art football operations area will feature 12 offices, a video room, offensive and defensive conference rooms and multiple meeting spaces.
The upgraded press box will accommodate approximately 155 people and include game day coaching booths. The new hospitality level will provide a premium experience for more than 400 guests. The renovation also will provide critical space for the university鈥檚 emergency operations center.
Completed in 1974, 糖心Vlog鈥檚 stadium celebrated its 50th anniversary during the 2024 football season. The project should be completed by the beginning of the 2026 football season. While not expected to affect the 2025 schedule, it has resulted in changes in game day parking and stadium access.
The project is the first in a planned series of upgrades to facilities used by Catamount student-athletes, Chancellor Kelli R. Brown told a crowd of more than 300 gathered for the ceremony.
鈥淭his is just one piece of our broader vision to create opportunities for students, build our legacy and ensure the success of our athletics programs,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淲e are taking a phased approach in much-needed and long-overdue upgrades to our athletics facilities, starting with these upgrades and featuring the flexibility for additional enhancements 鈥� not just here at Whitmire Stadium but across all of our athletics programs.鈥�
Donations made through the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� campaign are an important part of the funding picture for the stadium renovation, as financial support from alumni and friends is helping the university in its efforts to enhance the overall student experience, said Casey Cooper, chair of the 糖心Vlog Board of Trustees.
鈥淵our commitment is making a real difference in the lives of our students,鈥� Cooper said, addressing the donors. 鈥淔rom scholarships to academic excellence endowments and from student engagement and experiential learning to critical investments in campus infrastructure, your contributions are at the heart of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 continued success.鈥�
Those donations are supplemented by financial support from 糖心Vlog students through the athletics fee they pay, he said. 鈥淭his is an incredible partnership between students past, present and future; alumni and friends; community members; and fans of Catamount sports teams,鈥� Cooper said.
In 2021, the Student Government Association approved a resolution supporting an increase in that fee, with the dollars generated to go toward improvement of Catamount athletics facilities. The increase, expected to generate $30 million for athletics facilities renovations, was later endorsed by the 糖心Vlog Board of Trustees and the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors.
鈥淭he individuals who will benefit most directly from these upgraded facilities are student-athletes. And as the name makes clear, they are students first 鈥� our classmates, our friends, our neighbors. They compete with passion and represent us with pride, and they deserve facilities that match their commitment,鈥� said current SGA President Grady Jones.
鈥淎nd this isn鈥檛 just for athletes. All students benefit when our campus becomes a hub of pride and tradition. From tailgates to touchdowns, sporting events help shape the college experience. They connect us today and bring us back tomorrow 鈥� as alumni, as mentors, as lifelong Catamounts,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait for when I return to Cullowhee on a crisp fall day, join thousands of voices in the stands and see firsthand what we started here today.鈥�
Randy White 鈥�89, MBA 鈥�91 , co-chair of the campaign steering committee, reminded ceremony attendees that the current campaign is the third in 糖心Vlog history, but the first with a major emphasis on financial support for athletics facilities.
鈥淥ur previous campaigns have focused on raising funds for endowed professorships to help increase the quality of our faculty and for endowed scholarships so we can provide access to higher education to a larger number of students,鈥� White said.
鈥淭hose campaigns have resulted in robust academic offerings and a higher level of support for student scholarships. Now, it is past time that we turn our attention toward improvements for our athletics programs and facilities and increase scholarship support for student-athletes. Our facilities have grown long in the tooth and are in need of much attention,鈥� he said.
Ben Pendry 鈥�07, vice chancellor for advancement, provided a progress report on the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million in support of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 academic, student engagement and athletics programs. The campaign, launched shortly after Brown鈥檚 selection as chancellor in 2019, progressed through a leadership phase before its public launch earlier this year.
鈥淭ogether, we are building a legacy that will continue to grow and flourish for generations to come. It is with your ongoing support that we are able to take the next step in the 鈥楩ill the Western Sky鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign, an ambitious initiative that will elevate the experiences of our students and our community,鈥� Pendry said.
鈥淣ow, you may have noticed that I said our campaign goal is a minimum of $100 million. The key word there is 鈥榤inimum.鈥� Once we blow past that goal 鈥� which we will do 鈥� we will keep going, because with your loyal support, the potential of this incredible university is unlimited,鈥� he said.