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UAB gets approval for new $15 million football facility
14 months after it was shut down, the University of Alabama-Birmingham football program is getting a $15 million facility.
The University of Alabama board of Trustees approved plans for the facility on Friday. The 46,000 square-foot building would have locker rooms, offices, weight rooms and a practice field. The goal for the project is to have the building ready to go when the football program makes its official return in 2017 and the schedule is being sped up in attempt to get it accomplished.
"Do the stars need to align a little bit? Yes, but so far they are," UAB athletic director Mark Ingram told Al.com. "We feel great about the design efforts... People are making pledges."
Football at UAB got the ax at the end of the 2014 season. After six months of passionate lobbying by supporters to bring the program back, football was reinstated at the school on June 1, 2015. Funds for the project will come from bonds and donations will be used to repay the bonds, according to Al.com.
Despite not participating in the 2016 season, UAB signed 18 2016 recruits on National Signing Day. One of those recruits is quarterback Tyler Johnston, the 2015 Alabama Mr. Football. Johnston is set to miss the 2016 season anyway after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow. He injured the elbow in the Alabama high school football playoffs.
For more UAB news, visit BlazerSportsReport.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
