Architect's view of the new tennis facility at the University of Wyoming.
The long-awaited University of Wyoming indoor tennis facility will soon be a reality following UW Board of Trustees approval today (Friday) of a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) to begin the construction phase of the project. The facility is expected to be completed next February.
The indoor tennis facility addition will be located adjacent to the existing indoor court building north of Willett Drive near UW's baseball stadium. The new facility will replace the outdoor tennis courts immediately north of the existing tennis building.
The new structure's guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of more than $2.6 million will expand the current indoor tennis courts from two courts to four with shell space available for two additional courts, says Doug Vinzant, UW vice president for administration. A GMP ensures the costs of the project will not exceed the agreed-upon price.
"Support facilities such as locker rooms, restrooms and storage will be provided initially with the ability to expand within the facility in the future as well," Vinzant says.
The anticipated construction budget for the GMP was $2.75 million.
UW's Facilities Planning Office and the indoor tennis planning team have proceeded with the planning and design. Construction manager-at-risk Sampson Construction determined the GMP using design and construction documents provided by Malone Belton Abel Architects of Sheridan, Vinzant says.
The UW Board of Trustees last November authorized a preliminary design study for the indoor tennis facility that has long been included in the university's construction plans. The facility has been a part of UW's Capital Facilities Plan since 2006.
Many of UW's conference rivals have superior tennis facilities, including the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center at Texas Christian University, which features 27 indoor and outdoor courts, and the University of Utah's George S. Eccles Tennis Center, the state's only indoor playing facility with eight courts. Additionally, San Diego State University and UNLV have state-of-the-art outdoor centers, each with 12 lighted courts.
The UW women's tennis program recently completed one of its best seasons ever, finishing with an overall record of 14-8 and a 5-3 mark in Mountain West Conference (MWC) competition. The Cowgirls were ousted in the quarterfinals of the MWC tournament last week in Las Vegas.
