Vanderbilt Reveals Timelines For New Basketball Facility

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Graphic courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt University has relabeled the detailed plans for the men’s and women’s basketball operations center and practice facility as part of its Vandy United campaign.

Utility relocation work is scheduled to begin this summer and continue through the fall to support the construction of the north end zone facility. Construction activities for the building will begin during the upcoming football season and are expected to conclude before the start of the 2024 football season.

“We want to provide a championship-level experience to everyone we serve. That starts with the student-athletes but also includes our alumni, fans, donors, faculty and staff,” says Candice Lee, vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director.

Since publicly announcing the $300 million Vandy United campaign a little more than a year ago, Vanderbilt has worked closely with Populous, lead architect for the project, to refine and finalize designs for the initial phase.

“This is the first step in a transformation. It will be iconic and beautiful, yet effective and efficient,” Lee continues. “I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to impact Vanderbilt Athletics and help position our student-athletes and community for success.”

The new basketball facility will be located beyond the north end zone of Vanderbilt Stadium and encompass 90,000 square feet and four floors. Design plans include two practice courts, locker rooms and offices for women’s head coach Shea Ralph, men’s head coach Jerry Stackhouse and their respective staffs.

“We truly see Vandy United as our stake in the ground,” says Ralph. “It marks the beginning of a new era and is proof of our commitment to elevate the best student-athlete experience in college athletics and take our fan experience to the next level.”

The student-athletes will also have access to a weight room, training room and equipment area to be used by both teams, as well as a dedicated nutrition space.

“For our program, being able to have world-class facilities from the standpoint of training, getting all the top equipment, being able to have more [practice] courts—they all create more opportunity for our student-athletes to get better in their development,” says Stackhouse. “Their [Candice Lee’s and Chancellor Daniel Diermeier’s] commitment and the commitment of all the coaches to take our programs to the next level are unmatched. You’re going to see that in the future with our new buildings and new equipment we’ll have available for our student-athletes.”

The building will be connected to Memorial Gymnasium, the Commodores’ home court, which now features newly renovated game day locker rooms for both teams. This connection also will allow fans and patrons access to both facilities on game days.

“We are excited about so many aspects of Vanderbilt basketball,” Lee adds. “Watching day to day, we see how Coach Stackhouse and Coach Ralph interact and support each other. This building represents the tone of those programs. Everybody has their own space, but there is a shared aspect. And it is connected to the broader athletics footprint that supports all our student-athletes.”

As part of the north end zone upgrades associated with the project, the concourses will connect to allow fans to move around Vanderbilt Stadium with ease. There will be terrace and balcony viewing areas on the upper levels of the basketball center for guests during football game days.

Steven Boero
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