The new Vanier Football Complex is open and operational at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Bill Snyder met with the media for the first time in the team theatre in the new facility during Media Day on Saturday.
“I know that our players truly enjoy it. They like the area that they’re in immensely. And they have a great appreciation as I do for the people that have made it all possible.”
Snyder referred to the donors that have invested millions of dollars to build the new facility. “So many of them greatly appreciate it. Obviously the Vanier family, the Ice family, with such substantial gifts. And our players are well aware of that and have an appreciation for all of those people.”
Snyder noted that the players and himself appreciate the people of the past at Kansas State. “Past players, past coaches and staff, past administration, just people that built the foundation for what this program is all about and really made this possible.”
Kaleb Prewett, defensive back noted, “We’ve got a lot of cool stuff in there. We’ve got an amazing locker room. ” Prewett added there’s even a barbership on the player’s lounge.
Dana Dimel, Co-offensive Coordinator, first arrived at K-State as a player in 1984, and has served many years on the Wildcat coaching staff. He remembers the old facilities in 1984. “The facilities were pretty dilapidated, to say the least. We had team meetings in fold-away chairs, and locker rooms where the shower rooms were small.” Dimel added there were a lot of money issues at that time. “We weren’t drawing that well because we weren’t winning. When you don’t draw well you don’t have a lot of money in the program so the facilities were far far behind everybody else’s in the country. ” But this is a different time for Kansas State. “But now we’re holding pace with some of the top programs in the country, so it’s just been such a dramatic change.”
In addition to the new building, new ADA seating with enhanced sightlines has built behind and above the north end zone. The new Carl and Mary Ice Video Board is connected to the current west-side stadium concourse for access to entrance gates and stadium concessions and restrooms.
