Troy University in Troy, Alabama, is planning to tear down the school's former sports arena next year to make way for construction of a new recreation center, according to an article in the student newspaper, the Tropolitan.
The Tropolitan reports that the recreation center will be built on land now occupied by Sartain Hall. That facility served as the main sports arena for the Troy campus until 2012 when the $40 million, 5,500-seat Trojan Arena opened. Sartain Hall was built in 1962 as a physical education building, and its 2,500-seat gymnasium was home for several decades to the university's basketball team.
University officials said that a new recreation center will be available to students during the 2016-2017 school year. John Dew, senior vice chancellor of student services and administration, said the university will collect feedback from students, faculty and staff before getting bids from architectural firms and then developing a budget. A task force has been formed, and a student survey has been disseminated to help determine what should be included in the center.
Right now, the most popular recreational facilities at Troy are the fitness center and the natatorium. The fitness center averages 336 students a day, and about 60 students visit the natatorium daily. Among the features students said they would like to see in a new facility are multi-athletic courts, accessible equipment, ample workout space, instructor-led fitness classes, a leisure pool and more healthful food options.
To pay for building the recreation center, students will be assessed fees beginning in fall 2016. All students enrolled in six or more credit hours will be assessed a $100 fee in the fall and spring semesters. In the summer semester, a $50 fee will be imposed on students taking three or more credit hours.