Trustees approve money for designs of new UK baseball stadium, renovation of tennis center

The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approved financing Friday for the design of a new UK baseball stadium and a renovation and expansion of the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.

The money for both projects will come entirely from UK Athletics, which doesn't take money from tuition or state appropriations.

The baseball stadium is expected to be built between Commonwealth Stadium and the soccer and softball fields on Alumni Drive. The road, which connects Nicholasville Road to the Arboretum and Tates Creek Road, is one of UK's many current construction projects and will have a designated bike lane and sidewalks. The road project is expected to be completed in the fall.

The trustees approved spending $4 million to begin designing the 4,500-seat Cliff Hagan Baseball Stadium. The current stadium, built in 1969, has been renovated twice, the last time more than 13 years ago.

Jason Schlafer, executive director of athletics for external operations, said the planned stadium's proximity to the other sports complexes will help consolidate and brand UK Athletics. Schlafer called the area an "athletics village."

The existing stadium, just behind a group of new dorms that will house thousands of students in the fall, will probably be converted into some type of green space, said Eric Monday, the executive vice president of finance and administration.

What exactly the green space will look like is undetermined, but it might be a combination of turf, lawn space and parking. UK President Eli Capilouto pushed for more green space, Monday said.

"We need more green space for our students," Monday said, "and we have a deficit in that area."

Both projects — the new baseball stadium and the tennis renovations — could be completed within two years, Monday said.

Renovation and expansion of the Boone Tennis Center will cost $8 million, and the board approved spending $800,000 on design.

The UK men's and women's tennis programs have a history of success, but the Boone Center isn't big enough to hold tournaments easily and had no team meeting space, Schlafer said.

"We could no longer renovate (the Boone Center) in a minor way," Monday said.

This story was originally published June 19, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Trustees approve money for designs of new UK baseball stadium, renovation of tennis center."