The state Board of Regents approved the design, project description, and budgeting to renovate the locker room at the Stew and LeNore Hansen Football Performance Center at their Thursday meeting.

The renovations would cost roughly $2.5 million and would be funded by gifts to, and earnings by the UI athletics department. The current locker room was built 11 years ago and has seen heavy use since then.

The UI also made a similar request to build a new facility for the gymnastics and spirit squad, a request that was also approved on Thursday. According to Wednesday’s agenda, the new building would be 32,700 square feet and cost $20 million, also to be funded by gifts and earnings.

Rod Lehnertz, senior vice president and university architect, said at the regents meeting Wednesday at the Levitt Center for University Advancement that the football locker room project would start in April 2024 and finish by July 2024.

“It’s not a large project, but an important one for the football program for the active student-athletes, but also for recruitment of future student-athletes,” Lehnertz said. “It is dark, worn, and outdated, and no longer reflects the status of the Iowa Football program for recruitment efforts,” the packet states.

According to the agenda, the gymnastics and cheer squad currently use the Field House, although the building doesn’t have an adequate-sized gymnasium. The new facility would be located on Prairie Meadow Drive and would provide a dedicated space for coaches, lockers, and team rooms, among others.

Lehnertz said the project, if approved, would begin fall 2023 and end in fall 2024.