UAlbany athletic director says new stadium would help recruiting

University at Albany's annual sports budget could more than double to $25 million over the next five years if a $50 million stadium is built to attract more top notch recruits and competition, the college's athletic director said Monday.

"Facilities are critical in our business," athletics director Lee McElroy told a crowd of some 200 business leaders who attended The Business Review's annual Book of Lists Breakfast at the Desmond in Colonie.


Construction of a new 15,000 seat multi-sport complex could begin sometime in 2008, luring more competition from schools like Syracuse University and the University of Delaware, McElroy said. The school is in the midst of a fund raising campaign for the project.

"Delaware is not going to come to Albany and play in what we have now," he said.

McElroy, who came to Albany in 2000, said he also hopes the school will be able to offer more scholarships in the future.

The school, which offered $700,000 in scholarships when he stepped in, now offers about $3.5 million in scholarships per year, he said.

Scholarships and facilities will go a long way toward helping the college compete, recruit and retain talented athletes and coaches, McElroy said.

That success can be seen by looking at schools such as the University of Texas which has a $90 million annual sports budget, he said.

McElroy said University of Albany also points to the restaurants, schools, the arts and Saratoga Springs as recruiting tools.

The Business Review (Albany) - 9:59 AM EDT Monday, June 18, 2007