The Baylor Athletics Department announced a few moments ago through a press release on its website the donation of the "leadership gift - the largest capital gift in university history - from Elizabeth and Drayton McLane Jr. for Baylor's new on-campus football stadium alongside the Brazos River." Mr. and Mrs. McLane have requested that the stadium be named simply "Baylor Stadium" in return for their gift, foregoing the chance to brand it themselves.
The release does not state exactly how large the McLane's gift was, but it does provide several noteworthy tidbits from Coach Briles, who has fought for this stadium's construction probably more than anyone not named McLane, Drayton McLane himself, and Ken Starr, Baylor's President. It also features a computer rendering of the stadium during the game and describes the stadium generally:
The new on-campus Baylor Stadium is expected to be built on a 93-acre site on Interstate 35, one of the nation's busiest highways, traversed by more than 42 million drivers annually. The stadium will hold 45,000 spectators, with the flexibility to expand to 55,000 in the future. It also will feature a bridge crossing the Brazos River and connecting the stadium to the campus, canopy shading for half of all seats throughout the day, open concourses with views directly into the stadium, suites, loge boxes, indoor and outdoor club seating, designated seating for Baylor students and the Baylor band, and an event center and Stadium Club for year-round use.
For those hoping for more information, Baylor Athletic Director Ian McCaw will be live with David Smoak on ESPN 1660 in Waco at 4:10 this afternoon. That interview should be streamed online on his website, and if it is not, he typically posts podcasts of his interviews later in the day.
This is an outstanding day for Baylor University and its resurgent football program. Hopefully we will have a firm completion date soon!
UPDATE: The facebook page for Baylor Athletics has been updated with previously unreleased renderings of the new stadium. Go check them out!