After decades of no improvements, Falcons are getting an upgraded locker room.
Construction follows decades of no major changes to football facilities
COLORADO SPRINGS» The home of Air Force football opened in 1962, and Falcon Stadium’s locker room went without any major renovations for the decades that followed — until now.
When Air Force hosts Stony Brook on Sept. 1 in its season opener, the Falcons will enjoy a new, 11,000-square-foot facility equipped with a state-of-the-art training room and modern design — a major expansion of the modest, 3,875-square-foot locker room the Falcons once inhab- ited. Construction began in December and remains on schedule to be finished before football season begins, a team spokesman said Wednesday.
“We knew it was a pretty ambitious project with the locker room and yet one that was much, much needed,” Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said Tuesday. “You look, and it’s been over 55 years since that locker room has really been molded in any fashion.
“We’ll triple the size, at least in terms of being able to move around. … It makes it where we’re going to be able to host some other functions much more efficiently going down the road, too.”
The latest progress made on the new locker room over the summer months includes concrete concourse placement, rough interior drywall installation, floor tiling and new paint. The academy also reports that its sports medicine professionals recently visited the site to ensure proper specifications.
The latest renovations represent the second phase of a fourphase stadium upgrade plan funded with a combination of private and government funds — with the USAFA Endowment and the academy’s athletic corporation contributing $6 million for the locker room portion.
A breakdown of the complete renovation project plans, per Air Force athletics: Two new scoreboards. … New sound system and ribbon boards. … Blue and Silver Club renovation presented by USAA. Home locker room renovation and expansion. … Includes auxiliary locker rooms, medical areas and a designated presidential green room. … Visiting locker room update. … Foundation and structural support for phase four.
• Phase three: East side complex. … Timeline and estimated cost TBD. … New entrance to Falcon Stadium. … Premium seating and suites. … Premium bar and food access. … Apparel store and ticket office. …. Class of 1966 Memorial Fence.
• Phase four: North end complex. … Timeline and estimated total cost TBD. … Suites and/or club Seating. … Recruiting room. … Catwalk above the tunnel.