University of Mount Olive to break ground for new facility
By From staff reports
Published in News on February 23, 2016 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- A groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of the University of Mount Olive's track and field/lacrosse complex will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 1.
The event will take place at the practice lacrosse fields, located off James Hunt Drive, across from Grantham Residence Hall.
Construction is set to begin immediately following the Tuesday groundbreaking ceremony, with completion projected for fall of 2016, in time for the fall sports seasons.
Jimmy Hite of Hite Associates of Greenville is the architect on the project, and Travis Credle with Advantage Sports Surfaces of Morehead City is the contractor.
The public is invited to attend what is being called a "celebratory milestone" in the life of the University of Mount Olive.
Phase 1 of the complex is estimated to cost $2 million and will include an eight-lane, synthetic surface, 400 meter track built with an artificial surface field inside the track, and areas for throws and jumps.
The complex will serve as a hub for both the university and the region and will have a significant economic impact on eastern North Carolina, said Jimmy Williams, vice president for institutional advancement.
"The complex will increase the number of out of town guests to the region," he said. "Hotels, restaurants and other service providers in the community will benefit from visitors to the track complex. In addition, the complex will meet the vital needs of the university's athletic programs and provide a sports venue for charitable organizations such as Special Olympics, Relay for Life, and for sports clinics and summer camps.
"The track and lacrosse complex will also promote wellness throughout the region by providing another venue for exercise and training."
Vice President for Athletics Jeff Eisen said he is excited about what the complex will mean for the university's ever-expanding athletics program.
"The track and field/lacrosse complex will be a great boon to our athletics program," he said. "Our track and lacrosse teams have had great success, and the addition of an on-campus track and artificial turf field will only enhance those teams. It will also be of great benefit to our other teams, as well as the campus community and local residents."
For more information, contact Jimmy Williams at jwilliams@umo.edu or Jeff Eisen at jeisen@umo.edu.
The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values.
The university, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Research Triangle Park, Washington, Jacksonville, and in Smithfield at Johnston Community College.
For more information, visit www.umo.edu.