McGarity warns that the new indoor practice facility won’t be ready for the 2016 football season.
Greg McGarity confirmed as much Thursday morning. The UGA athletic director said that underground utility work and site preparation will take at least three or four months to complete, and that cannot commence until the Bulldogs have completed the 2015 season. Then the actual construction of the massive building, which will be located on the eastern-most side of the current football complex, will take at least seven to nine months to finish.
That means it will likely be well into the 2016 season – if then — before it’s ready for use.
“That was one of the negatives on the front end with this site,” McGarity said. “It’s a complex site. The other site, there was nothing to stop us out there. But that site was eliminated for a number of reasons. And regardless of where it went, there were going to be challenges from a site-development standpoint.”
I think that’s fine. Laying out notice now is the right way to deal with the situation. Besides, they’ll be able to show recruits the construction work as the place goes up, which is really what’s driving this $30 million decision anyway.
Get The Picture 
Meh. There are ways to get things done right and under that timeline. It’s the city, state and federal “stuff” that has to happen to proceed that typically holds the process up.
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ACC inspections or planning doesn’t get involved with UGA. Not really. This city has had 3 lift station permits issued. UGA, Walmart were two of them so they needed ACC in a big way. But in general UGa and ACC don’t do much together when construction is involved.
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I’m remembering way back when Richt first asked for an IPF. When was that? I posted on here that we all need to pony up and get it built.
There was great wailing on this site that football is played outdoors, and instead of an IPF, Coach Richt should demand lengthening Ben Epps’s runway.
Well, in a couple of years we’ll have the best IPF in the southeast.
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Well, Ben Epps’ runway will be lengthened (construction completed) before the 2015 season kicks off… http://onlineathens.com/breaking-news/2015-06-17/athens-ben-epps-airport-runway-extension-will-be-complete-mid-august
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Got to land the new recruiting jets somewhere.
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Funny.
When are they widening 316?
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Great news for our opponents. 😦
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Listened to the interview with him yesterday morning. He said there was a lot of wires and shit underground at that site that they got to account for.
Ok maybe he didn’t use those exact words. Lets just say they got to make a bunch of calls before they dig.
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This exactly, a very involved site prep….that said, it puts the IPF in the best place…get it done, right.
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811
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Trust me on this, when you break ground in Athens you will hit something that is important to someone else. Then you will hit rock.
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He still kind of sounds like a kid that didn’t get his way…then hedges at the end.
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Yea, lots of hemming and hawing every time someone brings it up. “Look kids, you got your way this time, but daddy’s got a lot of work to do in order for you to get what you want. Don’t expect a big Christmas gift this year”
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LOL! Exactly!
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It doesn’t take 6 months to build an IPF and it doesn’t take 6 months to relocate utilities…if you don’t want it to. I’m calling bullshit. They’re just dragging their get for one reason or another, mostly money.
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I thought 9 months was about right. It’s already tight. It’s gotta be staged, lay down yard,worker parking, etc. But this thing is suppose to be the Mother of All IPFs! Also we need to accumulate a decent IPF Reserve with all those contributions. 🙂
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Agree. We’ll get more use out of it in its currently planned location.
Who, besides ag, botany, vet students, and mischievous frat boys want to waste valuable recruiting time going that far out on South Milledge?
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Don’t worry…stuff like this usually comes in on time and under budget.
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Exactly. I read the other day their is raw sewage where the rowing and other outdoor water activities will be held. Apparently they promised clean water but won’t be able to deliver. I’ll wait a few extra months to get a state of the art IPF.
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It was odd driving by Mr. McGarity’s better half while she was jogging in this heat. Well, walking. She still has her Florida gear. Lol.
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Gotta remember that this IPF isn’t just a warehouse over a field. Plans are to have office space and I still feel like there are going to be some surprises involved ($30 million buys you a lot more than a nice looking warehouse, I know that much).
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Sounds like they could have used it today.
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I hope Jeremy Pruitt is still around to enjoy it.
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Pruitt ain’t going anywhere.
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I hope McGarrity is around to enjoy it. If it takes that long to build! We want it done right, on time and under budget! It could become a referendum on the AD’s job. Let’s remember, this is not a 10 story building that requires a complete foundation 10 stories below ground. This is is a shell building that should require minimal foundation. The foundation shouldn’t require that much work! The clock is running!
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