Upgrade set for OSU's Valley Football Center

By Kerry Eggers

The Portland Tribune, Jun 20, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

The renovation of Oregon State’s Valley Football Center is on.

Fundraising for the first phase of a three-phase, $750,000 project to update the Beavers’ football coaching facility has been wrapped up. Work will begin shortly and should be completed by August.

“The first phase is the facelift mode, and it’s going to look great,” says Oregon State coach Mike Riley, who spearheaded fundraising for the project along with alum Jim Mendenhall.

The OSU coaches’ third-floor offices will be renovated, and new carpet will be laid and paint and graphics administered throughout the facility.

The second phase is a student-athlete lounge and two special-occasion suites on the second floor. The third phase is expansion and updating of the coaches office lobby, with trophy cases and interactive presentations on ex-Beaver football greats.

“Those two phases could be flip-flopped depending on the timing of the fundraising,” Mendenhall says. “The building was great when it was built (in 1997); it just needed an update. It’s going to be state-of-the-art when we’re through.”

The project has been financed through the gifts of private donors. Among those who have contributed to the second phase are several ex-Beaver players now in the NFL.

Those interested in contributing can contact Bob Westlund, OSU vice president/principal gifts to athletics at 541-737-9158.

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