August 3, 2011

Construction on the new MU Gymnastics and Golden Girls Practice Facility is coming to a close. As the August deadline approaches, the building is nearly complete.

“We hope to have the new practice facility up and running by the first home football game this September,” Associate Director of Athletics Mark Alnutt said.

Last fall, the estimated size of the practice facility was around 25,000 square feet, but after the bulk of construction, the more accurate size will be around 27,000 square feet. According to the [Athletics Department’s website](http://www.tsf-mizzou.com/campaigns/facility-projects#Gymnastics%20and%20Golden%20Girls%20Facility), this will give the Golden Girls a little over 3,000 square feet for practice and 14,500 square feet for the Gymnastics team.

Construction on the new practice facility is taking place about 100 yards south of the Memorial Stadium. The project will cost an estimated $5.6 million.

According to [Maneater archives](http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2010/9/28/plans-underway-gymnastics-golden-girls-facility/), the project is being funded partially by an anonymous donor, which helped the project gain momentum and made it possible to finish by August 2011.

“There were a few complications with construction regarding the snow this past winter and the actual site of the facility,” Alnutt said. “We had to do some extra foundation work, because of the facilities location.”

Despite this, construction is still on task and will be completed by the end of August, with some last-minute inside organization and equipment set-up within the first week of September.

Once completed, the new practice facility will be beneficial to both the Gymnastics team and the Golden Girls. The Gymnastics team will now have a professional and elite practice area, which will make practices more successful.

Also, the new facility will allow the Golden Girls their own space on campus to practice, instead of renting a practice space off-campus. Other benefits will include a new locker room with shower facilities, offices for staff, lounges for each team and a cardio-training room.

The new facility will not only bring together the Gymnastics team and the Golden Girls, but the student body as well, Alnutt said. The Golden Girls are a big part of school spirit, which is why it was so important for the practice facility to be finished by the end of August, before the first football game.

“A key component to the success of the Missouri Tigers student-athletes and the enjoyment of fans is the availability of first-class athletics facilities,” the Athletic Department’s website stated.