Kroger Donates $3M to University of Louisville Indoor Baseball Facility

The Kroger Louisville Division announced this week that it is donating $3 million toward the construction of an indoor baseball practice facility at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Ky. The facility will be built onto the campus’ Jim Patterson Stadium.

The gift will come in yearly $300,000 installments over 10 years. The university is still seeking funds for the facility, which will cost an estimated $12 million. It has not yet established a timetable for construction, but design plans indicate a 28,000–35,000-square-foot facility featuring an indoor artificial turf surface, a pitching lab, and sufficient space for an entire infield.

“Kroger has made an amazing difference in the community, across campus, and by supporting our student athlete experience,” said Vince Tyra, University of Louisville Vice President/Director of Athletics. “We have a number of shared values that led us to today’s announcement of Kroger’s lead gift toward an indoor performance facility for our baseball team.”

“We are proud to announce our gift of $3 million to be donated toward the construction of the new indoor baseball practice facility here at Jim Patterson Stadium,” said Ann Reed, Division President of Kroger Louisville. “This new facility will help ensure the best recruits and talent come right here to Louisville.”

Other Kroger donations to University of Louisville athletics include sponsorship of the Governor’s Cup trophy (awarded to the winner of the yearly Kentucky-Louisville football game) and $10,000 in scholarships annually since 1994.

“This is a great day for the Louisville baseball program,” said the university’s head baseball coach, Dan McDonnell. “Our program is all about excellence, a value that we share with Kroger. Excellence in the classroom, on the diamond, and in this great community. We want to express our gratitude to Ann Reed and the Kroger family for their commitment to Louisville baseball and our continued pursuit of excellence.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Minnesota District Completes $49.7M Addition, Renovation Project

    St. Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $49.7-million addition and remodeling project at two district schools, according to a news release.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.