Regents Approve Fudge Center Funding

At its November meeting, Baylor’s Board of Regents approved $78.6 million for phase two construction of the Fudge Football Development Center. The facility is expected to be completed during spring 2024.

The Fudge Center will connect to the Allison Indoor Practice Facility, expanding the 80-yard indoor turf field to 100 yards and creating more than 100,000 square feet of new space for the Baylor football program. The state-of-the-art facility will include offices for coaches, equipment staff, medical trainers and a locker room for student-athletes, as well as a medical training room, equipment distribution room, a strength and conditioning weight room and a large team meeting room.

The addition of the Fudge Center will enhance the adjacent Simpson Athletics and Academic Center — home to all 19 Baylor athletic programs — by expanding the available space for academic advising and support, mental health services, physical therapy and wellness programming. It also allows for the physical expansion of the Student-Athlete Center for Excellence (SACE), including a student-athlete chapel location and expanded character formation and spiritual growth programming.

The Board also heard a strong report about Baylor’s financial strength. Fitch Ratings, a global leader in credit ratings and research, announced it had upgraded Baylor’s long-term bond ratings to “AA-” from “A+” with a stable outlook. The ratings agency noted the impact of the University’s strong student demand profile, successful fundraising with Baylor surpassing its initial $1.1 billion Give Light campaign goal last February and its positive endowment performance.