Texas A&M Student Rec Center to Undergo $54 Million Renovation

Texas A&M University announced plans to begin a renovation of its student recreation center that is expected to total $54 million.

The university held a press conference on Tuesday in College Station, TX, to announce its plans, the Bryan-College Station Eagle reported. In January, the university had announced the renovations would cost $50 million, but more money was approved for construction, the newspaper reported.

Texas A&M's "Rec" opened in 1995, and this will be the first major renovation to the facility since the opening, the Eagle reported. During that time, the university's student body has increased by 25 percent.

According to a university press release, the Rec will increase from 300,000 square feet to 413,000 square feet. In addition to the 113,000 square feet of new construction, 56,000 square feet of the existing Rec will be renovated.

The renovation will include more weight-room space and a two-court gymnasium expansion along with new multipurpose activity rooms. The Rec's swimming pools and related equipment and areas also are scheduled for renovation. Other additions consist of a new outdoor plaza, a new second entrance and a lighting retrofit.

The newspaper reported the indoor pool will be closed from May through September, and other parts of the Rec will be closed from time to time during construction, but the university says the facility will remain fully open throughout the project.

The renovation, which is scheduled for completion by late 2015, will not require an increase in student fees, officials said. Funding will be made available through revenue bonds supported by the university's recreational sports fee.

Rec users total about 1.5 million annually, according to the university.