Northeastern University is planning to construct a 310,000-sf athletics and recreation complex on a two-acre site in Boston. Designed by Perkins&Will and DREAM Collaborative, the multifunctional center will include a Division I arena that can accommodate 4,050 attendees for ice hockey and 5,300 for basketball, with excellent sight lines to enhance the fan experience and enable television broadcasting.
The University of South Carolina (USC) is planning the next phase of renovations to Williams-Brice Stadium to create a reimagined home for the South Carolina Gamecocks football team. Designed by Populous, the $350 million project will enhance the fan experience with additional premium areas, an updated student section, and amenity-rich concourses with modernized concessions and restrooms.
Pepperdine University is constructing the Mountain at Mullin Park, a vibrant athletics complex in Malibu, Calif. This dynamic community destination will elevate the student experience with premier fitness and wellness resources to enrich the academic journey and beyond. Designed by Gruen Associates and Perkins&Will, the project is situated on a plateau in the heart of campus residential life and represents an investment of approximately $250 million.
Dublin City University opened the €80 million ($90.9 million) Polaris building in April of 2025 in Ireland. The five-story learning hub was designed by Sheppard Robson and Mullarkey Pederson Architects to drive excellence and innovation in STEM education and research.
George Mason University opened the $107 million Life Sciences and Engineering Building in Manassas in March of 2025. Located on the SciTech campus, the 132,000-sf facility leverages a central location in Virginia’s tech corridor to drive advances in research and education. The four-story structure houses growing programs within the colleges of Engineering and Computing, Science, Education and Human Development, and Visual and Performing Arts.
Brown University is constructing a 76,000-sf indoor turf facility to expand capacity for varsity, intramural, and recreational sports activities. Designed by Sasaki, the versatile building will address a critical need for year-round indoor practice space, offering a controlled environment where athletes can maintain their competitive edge regardless of weather conditions.
The University of Auckland celebrated the opening of a world-class sports and recreation center called Hiwa in February of 2025 in New Zealand. The NZD320 million (USD180 million) facility will act as a leading destination where international sports teams can engage in advanced training. Spanning eight stories, the 280,000-sf development will also provide students and the general public with access to premier health and fitness amenities.
Pennsylvania State University is initiating a visionary revitalization of the 106,572-seat Beaver Stadium to transform the fan experience and create a vibrant destination for the entire community. Designed by Populous, the $700 million project will position the facility as a premier venue for college football, as well as generating additional revenue for Penn State's athletics programs through year-round external programming.
The University of Central Florida broke ground in December of 2024 on the Roth Tower at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando. Representing a pivotal addition to the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village, the 85,600-sf project is made possible by a $90 million commitment of Tourist Development Tax revenues from the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. AECOM designed the four-level facility with premium amenities to redefine the fan experience, including expanded club spaces, luxury suites, shaded seating, and all-inclusive food and beverage options.
The University of Southern California broke ground in November of 2024 on the $200 million Bloom Football Performance Center in Los Angeles. Designed by HNTB, the 163,000-sf facility will position USC to recruit top national talent as part of its transition to the Big Ten Conference. A strategic redevelopment of the John McKay Center will create a vibrant new home for Trojan Football and support the university's entire student-athlete population.
The University of Rochester Medical Center has repurposed a suburban retail center as the Saunders Orthopaedics & Physical Performance Center in Henrietta, New York. Designed by Perkins&Will and SLAM, the adaptive reuse project transformed the Marketplace Mall into a 372,400-sf healthcare destination. The renovation of 227,000 sf of existing space involved significant upgrades to building systems, minimizing vibration impacts to diagnostic imaging equipment and robotic-assisted surgical procedures.
The University of Kansas is constructing the Gateway District, a vibrant destination for sports performance and training at the heart of the Lawrence campus. Designed by HNTB and Multistudio, the $448 million project includes the transformation of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium to provide a new seating bowl layout with improved sightlines. Improved concourse circulation will be accompanied by more space for concessions, accessible seating, and restrooms.
The University of California, Riverside broke ground in October of 2024 on the Undergraduate Teaching & Learning Facility. Providing much-needed instructional space for multiple colleges and departments, the $156.3 million building will offer a seating capacity of approximately 1,700. The 100,700-gsf structure will accommodate two lecture halls, 19 classrooms, six biology labs, and four chemistry labs. An expanded dance studio with a sprung floor will be complemented by an outdoor performance area.
Mayo Clinic celebrated the opening of the Diagnostic Imaging and Sports Medicine Center in September of 2024. Accommodating a multi-speciality team of physicians, the 20,700-sf facility is strategically located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in a new $122 million field house and event center called The Sonnentag. Examination and physical therapy rooms are collocated with sophisticated instrumentation suites to enhance the performance of student athletes and active adults.
Some of the toughest competition in sports today is happening in the area of athletic facilities. Teams at all levels are competing against streaming services for fans’ time and attention; they are competing for the best athletes and the most talented coaches. And they are demanding state-of-the-art facilities to pull it off. What’s happening at the highest tier of professional sports arenas, locker rooms, and training facilities is not being lost on college and university planners, where the stakes may be even higher. At play in collegiate athletic facilities are mandates to boost the school’s brand, attract students, increase donor support, and develop new sources of revenue.
