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Manley renovations could be next in line for changing landscape of Syracuse's facilities
By Zach Schonbrun
Posted: 10/24/07, 10:57 PM EST Section: Sports
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Barely three weeks have passed since the groundbreaking of the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center, and there are no signs of stirring. The two billboard cutouts of the artist renderings of the venue still stand in front of the hillside behind Manley Field House, and there are areas of disturbed dirt where Carmelo Anthony himself dug his shovel into the ground.
But the bulldozers and backhoes of construction haven't made their way to this area of campus yet. It remains as it was: a grassy knoll. Only imagination takes it further at this point.
It's a slow process of change, but one that should eventually yield great dividends. For that, Syracuse coaches are willing to be patient, knowing what could eventually stand on the horizon.
With the groundbreaking of the 'Melo Center last month, Syracuse ushered in a new era of athletics facilities. Once the center is completed in 2009, there are talks of renovating the interior of Manley Field House into an indoor FieldTurf practice area, complete with a raised track.
First things first, however. There is still no timetable, budget or funding under way for the Manley project, and the plans are still very much in their infancy. The new basketball facility has a $19 million price tag that remained not entirely funded at the time of the groundbreaking ceremony and construction has yet to formally begin.
That hasn't stopped Syracuse coaches from embracing the plans for change. Men's soccer head coach Dean Foti said he's already mentioned the potential Manley renovations to several recruits. Football head coach Greg Robinson said he's picturing its benefits in the offseason. Women's basketball head coach Quentin Hillsman said he keeps a rendering of the 'Melo Center in his briefcase.
So while the brick and mortar of physical construction may be a few years down the road, the theoretical influence of progress is enough to make an impression on athletics here and today.
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