WATCH: Tour of the Florida Gators' new $86M Heavener Center

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•08/23/22•

ZachAbolverdi

The Florida Gators media received a tour Monday of the James W. “Bill” Heavener Football Training Center.

The new $86 million standalone facility opened its doors to the UF football team on Aug. 14, but the 142,000-foot Heavener Center will serve all 21 sports on campus.

Chip Howard, Florida’s executive associate athletics director for internal affairs, revealed Monday that the dining hall serves three meals a day to all 524 student-athletes, including walk-ons.

“I think the word commitment is probably what resonates most about this facility,” Howard said. “It’s a commitment for every student-athlete who’s here that we’re serious about providing everything you need both on and off the field to be successful.

“It’s a commitment to the coaches who utilize this that your student-athletes will have the best. And it’s also a commitment to future student-athletes from a recruiting standpoint. The University of Florida is committed to your child to give them everything they need to compete at the highest level.”

The Gators visited standalone complexes at Alabama, Clemson, Kentucky, LSU and USC in the process of developing plans for the Heavener Center. In addition to the one-of-a-kind player lockers, Howard singled out one area of the building that separates it from other facilities around the country.

“I think what’s unique is the all-athlete amenity area,” he said. “The dining hall, the lounge, the outdoor area, that’s one thing we didn’t see anywhere else. And for us, it’s uniquely Florida.”

Gators Online coverage of the Heavener Center

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