Haley Russell
Assistant News Editor
Murray State has begun the construction of a new CFSB Center practice facility that is expected to be completed in the next 10 to 12 months.
The University has chosen Pinnacle Inc. in Benton, Ky., as the contractor for the building that will be attached next to the CFSB Center on the Highway 121 side.
The bidding process was handled as all other University facility’s projects, Allen Ward, athletic director, said.
Funding has been established based on donors and their pledged endowments, the bulk coming from the naming rights of the CFSB Center, University President Randy Dunn said.
The facility will include practice space, women and men’s basketball team coaches and staff offices and recreational rooms.
The decision to build a new facility stemmed from the amount of use the CFSB Center is currently maintaining, Ward said.
Availability to players, coaches and athletic staff is vitally important for sustaining a Division I basketball program.
“As everyone knows, the CFSB Center is a multi-purpose facility,” he said. “But the new practice facility will help us during times the CFSB Center isn’t available for practice or individual workouts.”
Ward said the building of the new facility shows the University’s commitment to both the women’s and men’s basketball teams.
“I’ve said many times that our commitment must equal our expectations for the program and this building does exactly that,” he said. “After this remarkable season, it gives us another opportunity to build on the momentum and take the program to another level.”
Keeping within the amount of available funding, Ward said the University’s intent is to create a pristine facility that meets the needs of both the men’s and women’s teams.
Dunn said even prior to the Racer’s success this season, it was apparent a practice facility was necessary to continue to be a prominent mid-major program in the country.
The building will not only help both basketball programs, but will also help the University preserve the service the CFSB Center provides to the region, Dunn said.
“The CFSB Center was initially funded as a regional events center so we have an obligation to make it available for those things like boat shows and Disney on Ice and things you need that kind of space to produce,” he said. “To keep that responsibility we have met and still not have to be running the basketball teams of out of the CFSB Center all the time, we had to figure out a solution for that.”