This will be a $100 million facility. Funding anything at that level is not easy.
Printable View
Unless you are partnering with three or four billionaires.
It's easy to spend other people's money. They have already committed a sizable amount of money to the new arena. I find it hard to believe they will give a significant amount to this facility. While it's being advertised as a partnership, Marquette will get way more out of this facility than the Bucks will. Even if they commit $50 million (I think that amount is highly unlikely), that still leaves MU to raise an amount that is almost twice as much as the Al cost.
This complex is pretty amazing for a private school. It's also pretty amazing for a large state school. This would make quite an impression to a recruit.
It could also be a help our national academic ranking, Purdue, Georgia, Pitt, Maryland, Byu are tied at 62-67, Cuse, Fordham, Smu UCONN, 58-62. We are tied at 76.
Also when it comes to something that is trend setting Alums might give more money especially when its going to help our sports. IE a new English building might keep my wallet in my pocket but this might allow my alligator arms to get a little longer.
One of the owners talked about investing as much as $500M in the area surrounding the new Arena once the plan is in place. Who knows if it all comes to fruition but it's possible that this facility is part of that plan, in which case $50-100M is just a portion of a planned investment.
That's true, but they made it sound like that investment was in the area directly around the new arena, in an area they could see ea return on their investment. This facility will not be in the arena district and will not have the same return on investment as the arena district development. As I said before, even if the owners fund half, it will be a big fundraising project for MU, one that will take a couple of years at least to complete.
Having a facility to keep their own players healthy and help attract potential free agents would definitely offer return on their investment. There's also the potential practice facility that may not attract fans but will still offer a solid return on investment. Anything that helps attract and retain players will offer return on investment, and may be the most important investments for their long term interests.
Marquette wouldn't have announced it unless there were reasonable assurances that it would be built.