Aurora University recently purchased approximately 75 acres of land for the development of a new,
multisport athletic park. The parcel, located less than a mile south of campus, is large enough to accommodate championship-quality athletic venues as well as new academic, residential and recreational facilities. This dynamic new facility will complement an array of recently renovated training and competition spaces at AU.
The site work necessary to launch the first phase of development in the spring of 2017 is underway already. University and municipal officials continue to discuss infrastructure and safety requirements for the new athletic park.
Phase I
Over the past twelve months, the university has invested more than $3 million in land acquisition for the new athletic park. During the next phase of the project, AU will expend another $3 million on the site work, circulation and parking improvements necessary to support construction of softball, tennis and lacrosse and soccer facilities. An entry arch and gatehouse also are planned.
These new venues will provide the Spartans with a distinctive “home-field advantage” as AU continues its climb into the “Top Fifty” of NCAA Division III competitors. The new facilities will enable the institution to host prestigious championship and post-season tournament competitions. We also anticipate hosting summer youth camps and other community events.
As the park grows over time, a series of key architectural elements (red brick, black wrought iron and bronze signage) will provide unity and definition. Aurora University’s signature colors (Spartan Blue and White) will be evident throughout the athletic campus, as will the institution’s commitments to environmental stewardship and thoughtful landscape design.
Ample parking will be provided, with fan lots located in close proximity to competition venues. Nearby plazas and pathways will provide festival spaces and convenient places for friends, family and students to gather. Subsequent phases of the project call for development of a baseball stadium and track and field facilities.
Additional information will be shared on this webpage in the coming months.
Questions? Comments?
Teri Tomaszkiewicz
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
ttomaszk@aurora.edu
Jim Hamad
Director of Athletics
jhamad@aurora.edu
Details of Spartan Athletic Park are pending approval from the Village of Montgomery. These renderings are a tentative design concept as of February 2017.
