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About 200 attend groundbreaking for $61.6 million university facility
By Carol Biliczky
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Saturday, Apr 05, 2008
Gray skies and a brisk wind didn't stop attendees from praising the University of Akron's new stadium at the official groundbreaking Friday.
''I've been told even the popcorn will taste better,'' UA President Luis Proenza told about 200 guests gathered under tents at the side of the construction site, a mass of mud and pooled water. The sound of construction equipment could be heard throughout the hour-long ceremony.
The event marked the official start of construction for the $61.6 million stadium, although work has been in progress for six weeks.
Speakers praised the facility for the vigor it will bring to the university, city and to students, ''who rally around universities where there's excitement, and that's what this is going to create,'' Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic said.
It will be a ''community jewel'' that will have ''profound impact on area businesses,'' said Gary Taylor, owner of Infocision Corp. in Bath Township.
Because Taylor and his wife, Karen, contributed the $10 million lead gift, the stadium will be named for their company. The playing field will be named for the Summa Health System, which donated $5 million.
Some officials participated in the official turning of the dirt with gold shovels, and added a new kink to tradition.
Nine dignitaries — among them, Plusquellic, Proenza and Ted Curtis, UA vice president for capital planning and facilities management — pressed their palms into clay to make imprints of their hands. The casts will be displayed in the new stadium.
The stadium is expected to be ready for the first home football game of the 2009 season. Because of scheduling conflicts, that game has been pushed back to Sept. 19 against Indiana University of the Big Ten Conference.
Carol Biliczky can be reached at 330-996-3729 or cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com.
Gray skies and a brisk wind didn't stop attendees from praising the University of Akron's new stadium at the official groundbreaking Friday.
Get the full article here.
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