Tech football project nears $75 million in donor support

When Texas Tech athletics revealed plans in mid-July for a $200 million football facilities project, its online video announcement said the project would be funded by a combination of private donations and the revenue streams anticipated from a four-level south end zone complex at Jones AT&T Stadium.

Tech officials this week said donors have pledged nearly $75 million, and they want to top $100 million in commitments by the planned groundbreaking in late November.

Andrea Tirey, Tech senior associate athletics director for development, said she anticipates at least $10 million more in gifts of $1 million-plus coming soon. That would mean about $15 million more needed to hit the $100 million target.

"We want to get over $100 million in private gifts, pretty quickly," Tirey said. "That's our goal."

"But we're starting (on schedule)," Tech senior associate athletics director Robert Giovannetti said.

"We'll keep going (with fundraising) even after that," Tirey said, "but $100 million is where we need to be pretty quickly. And then depending on what revenue comes from — once we know all the details from the south end zone — then we'll know exactly how much we need privately."

The total amount pledged is $74,948,511, according to a Tech response to an open-records request from the Avalanche-Journal.

According to Tech's July 11 announcement, level one of the four-level building will house a 7,200-square-foot field-level club for game day viewing, home and visitor locker rooms, home and visitor press conference rooms and a recruiting lounge. Level two will feature loge boxes, as well as new entry points and concessions areas for fans. Level three will house coaches offices, and the top level will be premium suites.

Skybridge connections are planned from the south end zone building to the Sports Performance Center and the football operations building that serves as the Red Raiders' daily headquarters.

Tirey and Giovannetti said they don't yet have a revenue projection from the premium seating areas of the south end zone building, because it's still in the design phase. The premium pricing schedule for suites, loge boxes and club seats and the precise number of those available is still to be determined.

"We will have a lot of different price points," Tirey said. "I do know that, because donors have asked for that. We want to try to give something for everyone in the south end zone, and we will definitely have that."

Last fall, Tech announced that two members of the university system's Board of Regents were making lead gifts to the project: $25 million from Cody Campbell and $20 million Dusty Womble. Tech subsequently named the field at Jones AT&T Stadium after Campbell. And the two-story daily operations building planned to replace the existing Football Training Facility will be named the Dustin R. Womble Football Center.

Two other donors, whose names Tech has so far kept anonymous, have made pledges of $10 million each, Tirey said. The eight-figure pledges are shown on a document Tech provided. So are pledges of $5 million and $1.25 million and 12 more in amounts ranging from $250,000 to $25,000.

Tirey, who is responsible for the department's fundraising, stressed that every donation amount matters.

"I hate when people say, 'This isn't a lot.' 'My $25,000 isn't a lot,' or 'My $100,000 isn't a lot,' That's a lot," she said. "Those are when we start getting movement really, because they start adding up quickly."

"This is the most important facility project that we've had," she said. "We need everyone, at all levels. So we're going to be asking, soliciting, a lot of people."

Tech sets fan event

Texas Tech has scheduled "Meet the Red Raiders" with coach Joey McGuire and players from 2-3 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Sports Performance Center, which is located immediately south of Jones AT&T Stadium.

Fans are asked to adhere to one autograph item per person to accommodate everyone in attendance. Tech plans to provide complimentary autograph posters at the main entrance to the Sports Performance Center. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 27, and admission is free.

Tech Night on tap

Tickets remain available for the 61st Knights of Columbus Tech Night football kickoff event.

Tech Night takes place at the Knights of Columbus Council No. 3008 hall located at 4702 130th St.

Doors open at 5 p.m. Saturday, at which time a barbecue dinner will be available. The program is scheduled to begin at about 7:15 p.m. Tickets, priced at $30, are available at selectaseatlubbock.com and at the gate, organizers said.

Tech coach Joey McGuire is scheduled to be part of the program. Former Tech quarterback Rodney Allison, who now heads the Double T Varsity Club, is a special guest honoree.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football project nears $75 million in donor support