Sept. 14, 2007

The University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees Building & Grounds Committee met Friday morning. Among the myriad of topics discussed was the status of the new baseball stadium. The committee approved a $7.6 million increase to the budget, raising it from $28 million to $35.6 million, and pushed the expected completion date of the project back to late August/early September 2008.

Following the meeting University of South Carolina Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Rick Kelly, South Carolina Athletics Director Eric Hyman and South Carolina head baseball coach Ray Tanner, met with members of the media:

Rick Kelly (Vice President/Chief Financial Officer of the University of South Carolina)

“The recommendations to the Budget Control Board from the Board of Trustees was to increase the project by $7.6 million and that we have unanimously, collectively concluded that meeting the (2008) season opening date was not something we felt like we could do.

“The challenge is the site. It is something that we have been addressing almost continuously since we have been there. Probably bigger than that is the cost of construction. It is just enormously expensive right now and we are actually into our third year of this budget and you see the complications associated with the higher price.

An example of the challenges South Carolina faces in building its new stadium

“With that, we realize we are going to have one of the best baseball stadiums in the country. We have talked very extensively with Eric (Hyman) and Ray (Tanner) on this. If we are going to do this, we will do it right. The 2009 season gives us the best opportunity to do that with the budget increases we have contemplated.

“Currently the (construction) bid is on the street. It went on the street on Sept. 6 and we will receive bids on Oct. 24. We will hold those bids, not open, until Nov. 4 when the Budget & Control Board has the opportunity to make final approval of this budget increase. We can’t open a bid without having an adequate budget to fund it.

“I know that the team that is working on this project has been highly professional. The granite down there has caused a couple of issues for us. Again, it is not the biggest issue. Far and away the biggest issue is the escalation of construction costs associated over the last four-to-five years. We opened bids for our new Honors College dorm that was an estimate of $41 million and the low bid was $53 million. There is a lot of work in our city right now. Most of our sub-contractors are booked solid and that forces higher prices.

“I suspect (the Budget & Control Board) will have the same kind of questions that our Board of Trustees had. They are going to ask the same questions (you are) all asking. I think they will be supportive once they hear all the facts that are associated with this.”

Ray Tanner (Head Baseball Coach/University of South Carolina)

“I think that a first reaction from players is disappointment but they are resilient and they understand. As I explained to some of the guys yesterday, we only get one chance to do this thing right and by nature I think coaches are the most impatient people in existence. Having been on this project, probably more than anybody, I want it to be right. As much as we would all like to be there to open up our season in February of 2008, I want it to be a show place and it’s for the long run. It is not a short-run project and we want it to be something that we can be proud of for a long time.

“I’ve been involved with this project from the get-go and we want it to be right. Now, we sort of have direction at this point and I’m anticipating by the fall of 2008 that we can move in there with the class we have coming in, be ready to do our fall practices and kick it off with some time in the new stadium. Quite honestly, had we opened up in February of 2008, I would have not been on the field for the entire fall and it would have been almost like playing on the road in the beginning. It will all work out.

“I think that, like a lot of people, when this project was announced, I was really excited. I was overwhelmed and I recruited with that kind of passion and enthusiasm. In hindsight, I would have done the same thing. I might not have given a date. We all have been through construction and building houses and those kinds of things and it doesn’t always happen exactly when you want it. I’ve learned a little bit, but in the end we are going to have a tremendous facility for the University of South Carolina, the city of Columbia and something we can all be proud of.”

Eric Hyman (Athletics Director/University of South Carolina)

“The University is going to assist us and I do not anticipate this having any impact (on other projects). Some things work your way and some things are unfortunate. There have been a couple of issues that have already surfaced and been talked about. It’s unfortunate that the lead architect from HOK and the lead architect from the local architectural firm took other jobs. That didn’t help. If you really understand how this business works and you have the understanding that the people involved with the day-to-day details and they leave to take other jobs, there is going to be an impact on your project.

“I think it is just an accumulation of things. On Thursday, the three of us (Rick, Ray and myself) met and discussed (the project). We have had periodic meetings in the last several months discussing this project and to crystallize everything and finally yesterday we made a judgment call for what we were going to say to the Board of Trustees and to you all that we are at a point, because of the factors, that the project is into August instead of the spring for the completion date.”

-gamecocksonline.com-