Overview
The Kansas State Wildcats will kick off their 2015-2016 school year with an all-new, state-of-the-art athletic complex that will be open to all K-State athletes. Kansas State University Athletics recently unveiled the $65M Vanier Family Football Complex (VFC) to football players and coaches. Watch as they get their first tour of their new home. The new complex replaces a nearly 50-year-old facility and continues Walter P Moore’s long history of working with Populous and Kansas State Athletics.
As part of the design team, Walter P Moore served as the structural engineer of record. With the project schedule limited to just seven months, including demolition of the existing facility, Walter P Moore developed unique solutions to help expedite construction. One of these solutions included creating precast basement walls that allowed site work and below-grade building construction to occur simultaneously. Thanks to simplified framing and connection concepts, the 1,200 tons of structural erection lasted only 45 calendar days from the first steel column to the topping out ceremony.
The new facility includes four hydrotherapy pools, a walk-through recovery pool, 8,900 sf of sports medicine, a 4,700-sf team theatre, 10,100-sf locker room, 18,300-sf strength and conditioning center, and a 14,700-sf academic learning center. For the diehard football fans, the facility also has a new party deck, 40’x70’ HD video board, larger concourse spaces, additional seats, and improved sight lines. The completed north concourse connects to the West Stadium Center and furthers the overall goal of a fully connected concourse level around the stadium to enhance fan experience.
Though the VFC hasn’t yet had its official public opening, initial responses to the new complex are very enthusiastic.
“The facility is fantastic! It’s something that the players deserve, it’s something that Kansas State deserves, it’s something that our fans deserve.” — John Vanier, long-standing Kansas State University benefactor and namesake of the VFC
“Wow! This place is incredible. We had great facilities before, but this takes it to a whole new level.” — Kyle Klein / Senior, Wide Receiver
“This is a facility that other universities will aspire to have.” — John Vanier
Other recent successful Walter P Moore projects with Kansas State Athletics include the Bill Snyder Family Stadium original East Stand Upper Concourse Expansion, the East Stand Lighting Addition, the East Stand Restroom Addition, and the Basketball Training Facility.
Architect // Populous
General Contractor // Mortenson/GE Johnson (A Joint Venture)
