The University of Nebraska at Omaha will ask the Board of Regents to approve a new athletics training facility next week, according to an agenda released Wednesday.
The estimated $55 million Omaha Athletics Training Facility would replace the aging Sapp Fieldhouse. Private donations would cover the cost of the project. The Sapp Fieldhouse is the second oldest building on UNO’s campus, built in 1949. It’s currently the practice location for the Maverick volleyball, basketball and track teams and previously hosted competitions.
UNO officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon, but according to the agenda, the new facility would directly address outdated infrastructure and bring Maverick Athletics up to par with other Division I programs.
“While the Fieldhouse has played an invaluable role in the history of UNO, the facility no longer meets the current needs and expectations of a modern NCAA Division I athletics program,” the project memo said. “The building’s infrastructure is outdated, its training and support spaces are undersized, and it lacks the technology, wellness, and recovery resources necessary to house 16 sport programs’ daily needs and compete with peer institutions.”
If the project is approved, construction would commence October of next year and wrap up around the end of 2028. President Jeffery Gold recommends the board green lights the project, according to the agenda.
The board meets at 9 a.m. CT Dec. 5 at Varner Hall in Lincoln.