A $40 million Sports Medicine and Performance Center is planned to begin construction in mid-2018 and open on the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs campus by the end of 2019, according to The Gazette.
Here are five notes:
1. The center is part of the City for Champions tourism initiative, four projects designed to attract visitors to the Pikes Peak region that are being funded, in part, by $120.5 million in sales tax money provided over 30 years under Colorado's Regional Tourism Act.
2. The 72,000 square foot center will be built in the Health and Wellness Village on the western edge of the UCCS campus.
3. Charlie Sweet, UCCS vice chancellor for strategic initiatives, said the school estimates the cost of the center between $25 million and $29 million and will finance construction by issuing bonds that will be repaid by $16.8 million in sales tax rebates the center is to receive under the Regional Tourism Act. The center also will require about $10 million in road, utility and other related work that will be funded by private donations, including money given to UCCS for its ENT Center for the Arts that began construction in August.
4. Under an agreement with the Colorado Economic Development Commission, the project must be completed and operating by the end of 2023 and include an orthopedic component and space for clinics providing human performance testing and training, biomechanics, medically based fitness and physical therapy and at least three national centers of excellence.
5. UCCS hired six faculty members for the center:
- Jackie Berning, nutrition consultant to the Denver Broncos;
- Jeff Broker, former senior biomechanist for the U.S. Olympic Committee;
- Jay Dawes, strength and fitness consultant to the Colorado State Patrol;
- Margie Hunt, former USOC head athletic trainer;
- Steve Johnson, former CEO of USA Cycling; and
- Andy Subudhi, leader in high-altitude research.