Veronica PiscitelliDelaware State University (DSU) is investing in a major facilities upgrade thanks to newly approved funding from the state. Delaware state lawmakers approved its state bond bill on July 1, which included $20 million for DSU’s new field house project. The state funding will help the school expand and enhance its athletic facilities.
The new field house project is part of the university’s Athletics Transformation Project, that was introduced in 2024. The project’s goal is to improve athletic facilities and student-athlete experiences across DSU’s campus. The construction of the 70,000-square-foot field house, $20 million, will be funded by the state’s approved bond bill. The new building will be located next to Alumni Stadium and include:
- A 50-yard indoor turf field.
- Team meeting rooms.
- Player lounge areas.
- Updated locker rooms for all sports.
The indoor practice area will mainly be used by the football team but also will act as an indoor practice area for all sports. Additionally, non-athlete students will have access to the lounge and meeting areas.
While no firm start date for the construction of the field house has been determined yet, school officials anticipate the project would take approximately 18 to 24 months to complete after construction begins.
The Delaware state funding also included language supporting a second, future project at DSU. The Joint Finance Committee included a section highlighting its desire to “work towards exploring options for funding” a future DSU Convocation Center. The new arena would replace Memorial Hall, the university’s 1,800-seat venue on campus. The new building would host basketball, volleyball, wrestling and other major events for the school and surrounding community.
Project officials have not yet set a construction timeline for the project, which is estimated to cost $90 million. Though, university officials will continue to pursue alternative funding methods for proposed convocation center.
Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
