The Chicago Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein reports Northwestern will begin construction on a sparkling new athletic facility in 2015 (the Tribune has mock-ups here) that could provide a nice boost to Pat Fitzgerald’s recruiting efforts in Evanston.
Fitzgerald, despite last year’s injury-riddled 5-7 season, has built a nice base of success at Northwestern. Three of the program’s dozen seasons with eight wins or more have come since 2008, and 2012’s Gator Bowl win marked the program’s first bowl victory since 1948.
But Northwestern’s football facilities have lagged behind the rest of the Big Ten -- though these planned new facilities will be a significant upgrade. Fitzgerald has said the new facilities will be a “game-changer.”
Greenstein reports the total cost for the two buildings on the shore of Lake Michigan will exceed $220 million. Plans for the facilities -- which will be used by other athletic teams as well -- were announced in 2012.
