’Canes get big donation
$14 million for indoor practice facility.
MIAMI BEACH— Jeffrey Soffer conceded that he’s never been to a Miami Hurricanes football game.
But his mother, Carol, has long been a Miami fan. So, when the South Florida real estate magnate and his siblings wanted to honor his mom, there seemed no better way than putting her name on the much-needed indoor practice facility her beloved Hurricanes have wanted for so long.
Friday evening, the Soffers and Miami both had reason to celebrate with the school unveiling the artist conceptions for the $34 million Carol Soffer Football Indoor Practice Facility, a building the Soffer family is donating $14 million to help build.
“More than anything, I knew the athletic department needed an indoor practice facility and how important it was to get this project underway,” Carol Soffer said Friday night at an invitation-only
event at the Fontainebleau Hotel, which the family partially owns. “We met with coach[Mark Richt] and [athletic director Blake James], one thing led to another, and here we are today.…
“I’m excited, because this indoor practice facility puts us another level as far as recruiting and commitment to our wonderful student-athletes and coaches. Our facilities are now to be comparable with any other school in the country. Andas awoman, I am proud to have my name on the University of Miami indoor practice facility for football. I’m sure there are not too many of us who have this great distinction.”
Miami has not announced when construction on the 81,800square-foot facility will begin, but James said Friday that ideally, the project will be completed in time for the 2018 season.
For that to happen, the school will need to complete its fundraising effort.
James said Miami has, to date, already raised $24 million for the facility. He lobbied for Miami fans to continue donating to the project and said the school was setting up a website for the “Building Champions Football Facility Campaign” to help on that front.
Some of that money has come from Miami’s firstyear coach himself, with Richt and wife Katharyn donating $1 million to the project, which will be built over the school’s current artificial turf field and include a 20,000-square-foot football operations center that will include coaches offices, position meeting rooms, conference rooms, a recruiting suite and a state-of-the-art video center.
“It’s something that’s very much needed,” Richt said. “Let’s face it, we might be one of the only Power 5 schools in America that doesn’t have one. [We’re] the only one in the ACC that doesn’t have one ready or has one being built right now.
“It’s not like it’s shooting for the moon as far as the need of it, but in regard to what it’s going to look like and the fact that when you build something later than everybody else does, you get to make it the best of the best. That’s exactly what it’s going to be.”
For years, the Hurricanes have had to deal with inclement weather canceling or delaying practices. Twice during camp this season alone, Miami saw scrimmages affected by lightning.
And the nation got a look at how the weather can have a negative effect in South Florida when more than a dozen Hurricanes players endured driving rain while trying to impress NFL scouts during Miami’s annual pro timing day in late March.
Then, Richt used the word “sad” to describe the day, and while speaking Friday, he recalled how tough it was towatch players endure those conditions. He also vowed it wouldn’t happen again.
Richt said he’s asked the Dolphins if the Hurricanes can hold their pro day event at the team’s bubble next spring so current Hurricanes players won’t be affected if theweather doesn’t cooperate.
Once UM’s indoor facility is completed, though, that won’t be a factor.
“This is such a great day for our program,” James said. “To have the Soffers step up and make the lead gift to make this project a reality is huge for our students and our football program. It’s exciting, but there’s still work to do. For me, I won’t be sleeping well until we have all the money collected.”