A new home is coming for Cal Poly Football, thanks in large part to NFL legend John Madden.
The announcement was made on Saturday at halftime during Cal Poly's homecoming matchup against Sacramento State.
According to the university, the project has been in the works for the past few years, led by President Jeffrey D. Armstrong and Head Football Coach Beau Baldwin alongside John Madden and his son, Mike.
John Madden played football and baseball at Cal Poly in the late 1950s before embarking on long coaching and broadcasting career in the NFL. He passed away in December at the age of 85.
The $30 million project will feature 30,000 square feet of space and will stand more than two stories. It will include a locker room; hall of champions; strength and conditioning facilities; fueling station; team lounge; offices for coaches, equipment personnel, and athletic trainers. It will also house a team meeting room with tiered theater-style seating for 125 players.
The front entrance of the John Madden Football Center will face Mustang Memorial Plaza, which honors the lives of 16 players and the team manager who lost their lives in a plane crash on Oct. 29, 1960, in Toledo, Ohio.
The memorial was a place very important to John, as many of his friends and teammates were on that flight according to a press release by Cal Poly.
According to the university, the center is set to welcome fans and students in two years. It is 80 percent funded including, the lead donation coming from the Madden Family. Organizers of the project still need to raise another $6 million.
To learn more about the project or to donate, visit this website.
