Georgia Tech Stadium Revamp Moves Ahead
By Lisa Kopochinski
ATLANTA— A $9 million renovation of Russ Chandler Stadium, the home of Georgia Tech baseball has begun. JE Dunn Construction is the general contractor on the project, and Collins Cooper Carusi/Populous is the architect.
The project involves upgrading amenities and heightened experiences for fans and student-athletes. The demolition of an existing one-story building paves the way for construction of a 25,379-square-foot, two-story structure. The new facility will include three indoor batting tunnels, indoor pitching lab, event hall space, concessions and roof terrace. Interior renovation of 1,618 square feet will include new suites and ticket booth.
The concourse level will feature an atrium that also functions as a Georgia Tech Baseball Hall of Fame. It will be the first thing fans see when they enter the stadium—an iconic point of entry—intended to serve as both a welcome and a celebration. The atrium is also designed to convert into a 40-seat teaching auditorium on non-game days.
Other features include a new outdoor plaza; a new high-tech scoreboard; all-new, expanded restroom facilities and concessions (including a premium club area); a new alumni locker room; and an expanded training facility that will be open year-round for Tech players, and available to alumni/Major League Baseball players during the offseason.
To greatly enhance player development functions within the stadium, renovations will also include a training center, three 20-foot-wide batting cages, two 10-foot-wide pitching tunnels, and a video analysis room. The batting cages and pitching tunnels will be divided by retractable netting with turf flooring and a raised pitching mound.
With 400-plus student-athletes across 17 varsity sports, Georgia Tech competes at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics as a member of NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), while also developing young people who will change the world. Georgia Tech has long been a leader in innovation in college athletics with the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills Program (known as the Total Person Program at GT), commitments to athletics scholarships until a student-athlete graduates and the use of virtual reality in recruiting among the many concepts that originated on The Flats.
The improvements are aimed at supporting player development, enhancing the fan experience, and celebrating the Yellow Jackets’ rich baseball history. The team has won five national championships during their illustrious history (four in football – 1917, 1928, 1952 and 1990; one in women’s tennis – 2007), appeared in two Final Fours in men’s basketball (1990 and 2004) and three College World Series in baseball (1994, 2002 and 2006). Combining world-class education with top-notch athletics, Georgia Tech has produced 87 Academic All-Americans.
The project is slated for completion before next baseball season.